Majora's Mask Preludes
by confoozled1
Summary: Prelude of Majora's Mask. Legend states of a powerful mask, a cursed relic which had been lost over time... until by chance, a wandering salesperson had somehow stumbled upon it, only to lose it to a demon child... update: chapter 7, part 2. Heroes and
1. Prologue

A/N: I was inspired to make this one, as I was browsing through the Zelda fanfics, no one decided to make a direct novelization of Majora's Mask, although there were several Ocarina of Time stories, and maybe one or two Wind Wakers. I was originally going to make an Ocarina of Time adaption, but after reading some, I realized I couldn't compete against those works, which were superb. This is just the prologue, derived from the last few moments of OOT, so its a bit short. The real story comes next chapter.

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Disclaimer: I got most of the dialogue from OOT. I do not own it, so I give the credit to Nintendo and the makers.

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_Prologue_

"_Curse you, Sages! Curse you Zelda! Curse you… Link! Sometime… when the seal is broken… I will get my revenge upon your descendants! As long as the Triforce of Power is in my hands…" the roar of a defeated man echoed throughout the blackened castle as the seal closed itself and the man was trapped inside the seal. The young man named Link watched along with the Princess Zelda and the spirits of the Sages as the setting slowly reverted itself back to normal._

"…_Thank you, Link," Princess Zelda sighed. "Thanks to you, Ganondorf has been sealed inside the Evil Realm. Thus peace will again reign in this world… for a while…_

'_All the tragedy that has befallen Hyrule was my doing,' she continued, looking down at the ground, "I was so young, I could not comprehend the consequences of trying to controlling the Sacred Realm… I also dragged you into it," she said morosely, still avoiding Link's eye. "Now it is time for me to make up for my mistakes… You must lay the Sword of Time to rest and close the Door of Time… However, by doing this, the road between times will be closed… Link… give the Ocarina to me… As a Sage, I can return you to your own time." Zelda extended her hand and looked up at Link._

_Link reluctantly took the pale blue Ocarina out of his hands and looked at it wistfully. Going back meant he would lose Zelda… Nonetheless, he handed it over, but with some resignation. Zelda placed her hands over Link's. Her blue eyes were beginning to brim with tears as she looked Link in the eye._

"_When peace returns to Hyrule," she said again, "It will be time for us to say goodbye…" Link pulled his hand away sorrowfully, but didn't say a word. He knew what must be done. "Now, go home Link… regain your lost time! Home… where you are supposed to be, the way you are supposed to be…" Zelda put her mouth to the Ocarina and began playing. She started playing a familiar tune, one that she had taught Link herself, many, many years ago. _

_Link became surprised when a fluorescent blue aura appeared around him and began bearing him up into the sky. The sweet, slow melody still rang in his ears, as the last thing he saw was the Princess still playing. Everything went black after that. But Link swore that he could hear her say "Thank you, Link…" before he lost all consciousness._

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Temple of Time_

…_Link opened his eyes. The blue aura around him was beginning to disappear, and he felt his feet gently, yet firmly touch the floor. He knew where he was. He was back. The Master Sword was back into its place, where it should be. The blade still gave off a protective aura, as it was glistening serenely and confidently in the morning sun. Link couldn't help but think that the sword was challenging evil to come back so that it can smite it down. I'll be ready, Link thought. My descendants will be ready._

"_Link?" It was Navi, his fairy. His sole source of companionship during the entire quest. Of course, he had made other friends, from Zelda/Sheik, to Malon, Darunia and Ruto and others. But Navi was the one who braved all the perils with him, even against Ganon, against certain death. Navi was fluttering around anxiously, not knowing what to say. "Um… you do know that you're a kid, again, right?"_

"_Wha-?" Link looked down at himself. He was smaller of course. Zelda did send him back to his time… but a question burned on Link's mind. What of Ganondorf? To what point in time had Zelda sent him back? Would he have to repeat the quest again? As Link was thinking, Navi seized her opportunity._

"_I'm… sorry Link," she mumbled quietly. "I really want to stay, but there are more pressing matters I must attend to… I'll miss you…" the tiny fairy began flying towards the window. However, out of the corner of his eye, Link saw the fairy go. He didn't say anything; he knew what she was thinking and how she felt. The two had developed a close and almost telepathic bond with each other ever since the Great Deku Tree gave Link his quest, in what seemed like years ago. Link turned; he was on his own. It was time to go home. He stepped out of the room, as the distant church bells greeted the dawn of a new day. But there was one more matter he must attend to…_

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Hyrule Castle Garden_

_Princess Zelda was spying through the window as she saw a dark man garbed in black armor approaching her father. Normally, she didn't really care who her father was associating himself with, but this was different. She sensed great evil coming from the man. Other people probably sensed it also; guards were flinching at the mere sight of the man. But they were too afraid to speak up to the king; he was usually obstinate in these kind of matters. In fact, she was so preoccupied with the meeting that she failed to notice a boy clad in green approaching her and stand behind her. It took her a while to get the sensation that someone was watching her. Surprised, she turned around and saw the boy, who was still waiting patiently. The both of them stared at each other for a good while, one too surprised to speak, the other, lost in his memories. Finally, the boy in green spoke up._

"_Priness Zelda…?"_

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A/N: Well, there's the prologue. I didn't have enough resources to do either Ocarina of Time or Majora's Mask, so I just plugged my really old N64 in and popped in the games and played it through again. Heh. I'm such a loser. 


	2. Chapter 1: NewDark Beginnings

_Chapter One: Beginning of a New Adventure_

_Kokiri Forest_

_Thunder echoed in the distance, followed by a slow pitter patter of rain. Soon, the whole forest was engulfed in a torrential downpour. The inhabitants, called the Kokiri, all srambled for cover and flashes lit up the entire area. From one house, a young boy garbed in green was watching the entire scene. He seemed unaffected by the natural disaster. Usually, the thunder and rain usually signified an ominous event that was yet to come, or the passing of a significant being._

"_Navi… where are you," the boy said wistfully, looking out the door. He was holding a pale blue ocarina and twirling it in between his fingers. Nearly 10 months had passed since the boy and his friend had parted ways, ever since that tangled chain of events through time brought them together and led them to destiny… a destiny that would forever change the course of the world._

"_Link?" a young girl, garbed in green appeared at the doorway. Her hair was soaking wet. What was intriguing about this girl's features was that she had sparkling green hair, which was rare amongst any race that lived in the land, even for the Kokiri, although they were associated with the forest itself. The only part of her that wasn't green was her skin, and her eyes, which were a bright sapphire blue. She took a seat next to Link, who pretended not to acknowledge her presence._

'_What's the matter? Are you still wondering about Navi?' She asked, perplexed. Link hadn't been quite the same lately. Ever since he came back 10 months ago, he had acted down. No one really noticed, until Mido pointed out that Link didn't have his fairy, calling him fairy less again. That's strange, she thought. I thought that Navi would've come back to Kokiri Forest. But I guess that's never going to happen, she thought, looking at the boy's sad face._

"_Saria… why hasn't Navi come back yet?" Link asked softly, looking up at the dark ceiling. "Tell me, for what reason hasn't Navi come back to the forest? Isn't here where she belongs?"_

_Saria paused. This was something she couldn't answer. She knew Navi pretty well, from all those visits to the Great Deku Tree. Navi was pretty close to the Great Deku Tree, but now that he was gone, she didn't know what would become of Navi. All that they could do was pray and hope that she would come back._

"…_She won't come back… on her own…" Link muttered. He slowly got up and opened his trunk. Saria stared curiously at the young boy and wondered what he was doing. She was still puzzled when Link pulled out two of his most prized possessions: the Kokiri Sword and his Hylian Shield. The old Deku Shield had disappeared somewhere… where to, Link wouldn't say. He had never said anything about himself, but news travels fast, even in the isolated reaches of the Kokiri Forest. _

_There are rumors about a certain young boy; the Kokiri would say excitedly when they first heard the news. A young boy who was skilled enough to hold his own against the toughest of opponents, wielding only a wooden shield and a large dagger and other various children's toys. The young boy was said to have defeated many monsters normal men would've succumbed to easily, and he was dressed in green grab, as if he were from the forest. No one exactly knew what Link had been through in the duration of time he was gone, but being children, the Kokiri let their imaginations run wild. They could only imagine what happened. Many of them also tried to reenact the events in the manner they had thought occurred, and it brought only a small smile to Link when he saw how wrong, and yet how right these Kokiri were._

"_Link… what are you doing with your sword and shield?" Saria asked. "Are you going somewhere?"_

"_Saria… I feel that I have something to do… and someone to find," Link said, not looking at her. He went next to her and picked up the pale blue Ocarina and pocketed it into his tunic. He was about to leave, but he turned around and suddenly hugged Saria, who was bewildered at the sudden movement. _

"_Link…" Saria faltered as Link began to cry lightly. She hugged him back._

"_Saria… I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave you... again," Link said sadly. He let go of Saria and looked at her. She seemed confused. "I don't think I can stay here in Hyrule. It brings back too many memories. Painful ones. So, please don't worry about me. I will be back, maybe tomorrow, maybe next month, maybe a year. Or maybe…6 years from now," Link said darkly, because in the back of his mind, he was playing the events of the Imprisoning War over and over again. No matter how long he was going to take to find Navi, he would eventually have to return to Hyrule to confront his destiny… and his darkest opponent. "I wish I can tell you everything," Link choked, trying to fight back more tears, "but there's so much I can't reveal. I promise, everything will be revealed in 6 years' time." Saria held back; there was something to Link's words that made her remember the legends that the Great Deku Tree had told her during Link's childhood. The legends of a young boy, rising up to confront evil and become a manipulator of time itself, no, not a manipulator of time; the Hero of Time. Could Link possibly be…?_

"_I'm off on another adventure," Link said, recovering. He seemed to have a little of the childish twinkle in his eyes, like the one he had nearly a year ago, when the Great Deku Tree had requested his presence. "Saria, just tell the others that I went off for a while, looking for something. Goodness knows, Mido might act a bit happier again," Link said, smirking a little. "Just don't tell them how long I'll be gone."_

_Saria nodded. It was hard to believe that it was only less than a year that Link came back, and now he had decided to go off onto his own again, to look for a friend. But in her heart, she knew that Link wasn't a Kokiri and that he didn't belong in the forest. He had to go out into the world and fashion a new life for himself. But by doing that, he would leave a gaping hole in her heart, one that even time itself would have trouble healing. However, she worked up a smile, which encouraged Link even further._

"_I hope… you have a safe journey," she said, smiling. "Just remember; if you want to talk to any of us, you know what song to play." The two of them walked outside; the storm had subsided, yet there was a slight shower. Link helped Saria down the ladder and followed afterwards. On the ground, the two of them faced each other, not knowing what to say. Finally, Link decided that he had to leave now, or he might end up feeling bad for Saria and stay. He reluctantly tore himself away from the shocked Saria and ran as fast as he could, never looking back. All eyes watching saw the scene, wondering what had just happened to Link. Somehow, they got the feeling also, that he was leaving, and he may never come back…_

_Lost Woods_

"_H… help!" a shrill voice pierced through the silent forest. It had been forbidden by the Great Deku Tree, when he was still alive, that no one was to enter the forest, and for many good reasons. People get lost easily, and they spend much time trying in vain to find their way out, until either they meet a slow and painful death from the hunger/thirst or the wild monsters. But there was another rumor about the darkness emanating from the heart of the woods itself…_

_The voice had come from a Stalkid. He was running fast, not looking back at his pursuer, a White Wolfos. The Stalkid was a homely, yet colorful and interesting sight. He resembled a marionette, only that it was animated, leading people who met him to think that he was possessed by a demon. What was most interesting was the fact that he had no face; just two eyes and a mouth. Soon, if he didn't outrun his assailant, he wouldn't even have a body to call his own._

_In his blind rush, the Stalkid tripped over a jutting rock and tumbled down a hole. In its eager to catch its quarry, the Wolfos also tripped on the rock, tumbling down the hole after the Stalkid, howling in fear. The howl echoed throughout the darkness, eventually fading into obscurity… but no one even heard the frightened howl. It was, after all, the Lost Woods. _

_Unknown Field_

_The Stalkid opened his eyes. Was that all a dream? It seemed so real, the rancid breath of the Wolfos down upon his neck; its large yellow teeth bared, ready to strike, and its claws outstretched… he shuddered. He had escaped death by a mere few inches… but now that brought a new question. If he were alive, and presumably fell down the hole, where was he? The forest was no longer in view, and nothing seemed familiar. The lush forest had been replaced by a field, surrounded by a sea of grass and weed. The sky was also clear, free from being obscured by the trees. This seemed like Hyrule Field, only it didn't seem familiar at all…_

_A menacing growl echoed behind him. The Stalkid turned in surprise; the wolf was getting up slowly, but it seemed to be fine. Which was not fine with the Stalkid; he would end up as the monster's lunch…_

_Just as the Wolfos was about to strike, a giant brown foot came down hard upon the Wolfos, crushing the beast instantly. The Stalkid looked up; what he saw next was one of the most bewildering sights he had ever seen in his life. Four giants, all a murky brown color towered above him, looking down upon him curiously._

"_Thank you?" the Stalkid said, wondering what these being must be. He had never seen them in Hyrule before. The giants were unique in stature; they seemed to have little or no body at all; their heads were shaped like fish and birds and their arms and legs were extremely elongated. The Stalkid didn't know who they were, but he felt lonely all of sudden. Despite the fear that was rising up into his head, because of their size, he let his loneliness overcome him. After all, he was miles away from his home, and he had no one to turn to…_

"_Will you play with me?"_

_Hyrule Field_

…_Link still kept running, despite his body yelling for him to stop. I mustn't look back… I mustn't look back… he thought as he eventually gave into his fatigue and sat down to rest. _

_Link sighed. Perhaps this wasn't his most prudent decision, but he had an explanation. He was never meant to be a Kokiri; he had his place in the world, to live amongst other Hylians and humans, but part of him, the part (or majority) that was still a child wanted him to be with his childhood friends and play as long as he had time._

_Time… Link pulled out the Ocarina that the Princess Zelda had entrusted him with ten months ago. Time is such a fickle ally, he thought. It can aid you, it can press you, hinder you, do a lot of things. To be chosen the Hero of Time… I suppose that is a kid's fantasy, but it comes with such a big burden… to have to tear yourself away from your loved ones just to save the world… I wish that someone else would get this gift… but I'm the only one who can control the flow of time… that is until my descendants come along and claim their rightful place in history. Link stood up, reenergized. He was ready to leave when a large owl flew down from the sky and landed front of Link._

"_Hoo.. So… Link. If I'm not mistaken, you're preparing to leave for another journey?" the owl spoke, turning its head. It was Gaepora Kaepora, the owl. He was often seen here and there, but the old bird had seemed to take an interest in the young Hylian. Link just nodded; it was impossible to hide or deny anything to the owl._

'_Link, I am sure that you do know of your destiny, do you not?' Gaepora continued. "Once again, like in previous events, all of Hyrule, no… all the world will depend on your courage and abilities in order to make it through it 6 years' time. You may take as much time as you want to find your friend, Navi," Link stared; how could the owl possibly have known that? "but remember. Be wary, for even now, evil is still working, in small, mischievous ways, even though Ganondorf has been imprisoned within the magical prison inside Hyrule Castle."_

_(A/N: There are several explanations to what happened after end of OoT. I'm going with the theory that the Princess entrusted the Ocarina to Link, and she managed to somehow convince her father that Ganondorf was evil)._

'_Believe in your ablities as the Hero of Time, and the power of the Triforce of Courage, and you will find your way," the owl hooted softly. "The fates of two worlds depend on you; one sooner than you may think. Good luck," the owl said, before taking flight with his large wings. He began flying into the horizon, until he was a mere tiny speck._

_Two worlds, Link wondered. I thought I already prevented Hyrule from becoming Hell ten months ago. It's too bad that Gaepora always speaks in tongues, and that I can't understand; I guess it'll eventually come clear sooner or later… Link began walking in the direction to Hyrule Castle. He had to notify a few more people before he left this place…_

_This boy will be a legend someday, Gaepora thought, as he flew. He will be the legend that people will remember… a story among the Royal Family… Funny, how the boy who had battled evil and saved Hyrule is leaving the land that had made him a legend on a secret and personal journey to search for a dear and invaluable friend… and eventually he will have to save Hyrule once again… he is truly the Hero of Time… I only hope that he does not turn his back upon the people and the land and his fate… Navi, I can only hope that you know what you are doing…_

_Unknown Field_

_The sound of the weeds whispering in the grass were drowned out by the sound of laughter. One would've observed quite an interesting sight. Four giants playing in the grass, along with a tiny figure. _

"_That's fun! Do it again! Again!" the Stalkid yelled joyfully as he was tossed into the air and caught by the giants. All past memories, all past emotions were forgotten as the Stalkid was enjoying his time with his newfound friends. All of a sudden, something happened. The giants seemed worried about something, so they set a surprised Stalkid down onto the ground and began walking in separate directions._

"_Wait! Where are you going?" the Stalkid cried out. He tried to run after them, but alas, he was too small, and the giants were too big. Their distances increased with each step. Knowing that he was losing them, the Stalkid seemed even more determined to catch up to the departing giants. In his haste, he hadn't noticed a low but steep cliff up ahead. Like before, he fell down, hurting himself this time in the process._

_Dazed, the Stalkid looked up and saw that the giants were now impossible to catch up to. Tears started welling in his eyes as he saw his only friends departing in the distance. _

"_Don't leave me…" he whispered, before the tears started flowing. He felt alone and scared again. He had never been outside of Kokiri Forest, although he had heard stories about the outside world while eavesdropping upon the Kokiri while they exchanged rumors and stories. The gentle breeze had now become a howling wind, as the Stalkid's fear and loneliness slowly became a fit of rage._

"_How dare they leave me behind…" the Stalkid growled. "They have no right to do so! I'm their friend! If they have some matter to attend to, they should've told me and let me accompany them! Grr…" in his rage, he picked up a rock and threw it as hard as he could. He heard the rock hit something hard, and then he heard a yell of pain. Surprised, the Stalkid went to go and investigate._

_What he saw was unexpected. There was a man, sprawled out onto the floor, head slightly bleeding from the impact of the rock. From the looks of it, he had been knocked unconscious. Curious, the Stalkid decided to poke through the man's oversized baggage, which was ornately decorated with a variety of colorful masks. After minutes of rummaging, the Stalkid had managed to extract a certain mask. This mask was purple, with streaks of fiery red and black and white stretching from the eyes to the edges, which was lined with sharp spikes. It wasn't the prettiest of masks, but certainly one of the most appealing and interesting. While the Stalkid was looking at the mask with interest, the man began to stir and groan._

"_Hey… what are you doing with that mask?" the man asked weakly, as he saw the Stalkid toying with it. He became more alert when he saw which of the masks the Stalkid had in his possession._

'_No… it can't be…" the man muttered. "Give me back that mask!" he snarled, lunging for the mask. But the Stalkid had anticipated this and leaped aside. He shook his head at the man in a leering way._

"_No…" the Stalkid smiled in a twisted way. "I think I'll use this mask as a face of my own." The man could only watch in horror as the Stalkid placed the mask over his head. For a second nothing happened. Then the Stalkid began convulsing in a painful manner, and his whole body jerked one way and then another._

"_GYAHHHHHH!" the Stalkid shrieked, sending a chill up the man's spine. It was a horrible sight to watch, and more horrifying to the man, because he knew what the mask was. A cursed relic, one that had been hidden away for centuries. He had worked so hard to obtain that mask… all the illegal deals and robbing, only to have it taken away by this cretin… Maybe he shouldn't have tried to so hard to obtain it…_

_However, as soon as it started, it stopped. The Stalkid stood there limply, his head at a downwards angle. Then it looked up and grinned menacingly through the mask. The man flinched and took a step back. _

"_Hm… not the body that I was hoping for, but it'll do," the possessed Stalkid murmured. "I must thank you for helping me come back into this world," he said, facing the man, who had nearly fainted out of fear. "You made it possible for me to exist once again, and now, my desires will come true." The Stalkid began emanating a massive amount of dark energy. So much energy was being radiated that a purplish-black aura could be seen. _

_The man cowered, thinking that he was finished. I knew I shouldn't have closed down the Happy Mask Store in Hyrule Town, the man thought bitterly. Then I wouldn't be stuck in this situation. He waited for the blow to arrive, but nothing happened. Risking a slight peek, the man was surprised. There was nothing there anymore. The Stalkid had disappeared without a trace. Defeated by his thoughts, the man sunk down to his knees and stared at the ground._

_What have I done? He thought. I've damned this world… Someone please help…_


	3. Chapter 2: I'm Just a Kid

A/N: Only one review... for all my hard work... oh well. one review is better than none.

I'll get around to the main story in a few chapters. I'm just setting up the story. For now, the next two or three chapters will be side stories, with relevance to the main story. A lot of relevance.

Please enjoy and R and R!

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_Chapter 2: Reunions_

_The sun was high, leaving no indication that there was any rain in the previous few hours. There was no wind to gently caress the grass and whisper its secrets. Link just stood there, basking in the sun, eager to set out on his new adventure. He took a step forward before a sinking thought entered his head._

_Damn… I'm hungry… I shouldn't have rushed out of the Forest so fast… I don't think I'll make it to Hyrule Town without dying of hunger… Where's the nearest place to eat?_

_Link began focusing on a large meal, full of his favorite foods and compelled himself to move onwards. His mind, unintentionally began to play tricks upon him when he began to force himself to imagine that there was food in front of him. Whenever he tried to take a bite, the food would vanish and reappear 5 feet in front of him. He would then lunge for it, missing again, and the food would reappear somewhere else. This repeated for a while, and to a traveler, it would've been a most peculiar sight: a boy lunging and growling at nothing but thin air._

_Presently enough, the young hero was brought to a sudden halt when he hit a brick wall. Dazed, Link looked up at his obstacle and read the sign:_

_Welcome to Lon Lon Ranch._

_Lon Lon Ranch! Link couldn't believe his luck. He had totally forgotten about Lon Lon Ranch. Malon and Talon would surely greet him and feed him well. Hastily, he got up and rushed on inside._

_Lon Lon Ranch was exactly the same way that Link had left it. The contented sound of horses neighing greeted Link at he walked through cautiously. From the barn, he heard grumbling. That sounded like Ingo, the ranch hand. It was good to know he was being honest and he wasn't under Ganondorf's control. At least, for now._

_Link went into the main part of the ranch. It was a wide expanded area, perfectly suited for horses. In the middle, he thought he saw a familiar figure. The figure had a flaming red head and was singing a melancholy tune that seemed to drift into the sky and beyond. Could it be…?_

"_Malon?" Link yelled out uncertainly. He expected Malon to turn around, but she didn't. Link was just too far away. Realizing this, he ran up to her, nearly tripping a couple of times in excitement in the process._

"_Malon!" he yelled out again. This time, Malon did turn around. At first, her countenance was that of a confused person, but her expression changed when she realized who it was._

"_Fairy boy?" she called out. She smiled, as Link stopped in front of her. "Wow, it is you. I haven't seen you in nearly a year! Did you grow?" she asked, because Link was now nearly a head taller than her. She looked impressed and kind of intimidated._

"_I grew?" Link asked, blushing. Who knew, he thought. All that depression for nearly a year, and I still grew._

"_Did you stop by to play with me and Epona?" Malon asked. She looked at Link with hopeful eyes._

"_Actually… no," Link said apologetically. "I… err… came by to say hi and to get something to eat." Link said the last part really fast and hoped that Malon wouldn't get angry at that._

"_Darn…" Malon said dejectedly. "Whenever someone comes to the ranch, it's either for buying horses or getting a quick bite. No one ever plays."_

"_Um… I'll play, Malon," Link said, "but I have to leave tomorrow. I have to go somewhere."_

"_Yay! In that case, I'll go make some food right now," Malon said. She pulled Link to one side and whispered," normally, I would go and ask Dad for food, but he really can't cook. I almost choked to death once because of his cooking."_

_Clock Town_

_The town was a lively place, despite its serenity. People bustled around the place, selling the wares and going about their business. The children were darting in and out of the crowds, occasionally drawing laughter from the adults or scoldings. _

"_Hey, Tael, wait up! I can't fly around as quickly as you!" a fairy panted. She was a unique sight; to a passerby, she seemed like a tiny bright orb of light with insect wings. She was chasing another fairy; one that was a darker shade; purplish-black, signifying that this fairy was a male. _

"_Come on, Sis, we'll be late!" Tael said excitedly. He paused for a second to make sure that his sister caught with him and then darted off again. Tatl growled; she hated her brother's childish energy. It always got them into some troublesome situation or another. At the rate he was traveling, he was bound to get caught by some stupid kid or eaten by that stupid dog that always chased them around._

"_Woah… what is that?... Ow!" Tael stopped by the alley, causing Tatl, who was flying at full speed, to crash into her brother. She was just as surprised as Tael when she saw what he was looking at. _

_There was a dark figure just floating there. No one seemed to notice the odd figure; he must've been emanating something, because both fairies sensed an extremely high level of malice and spite flowing through the air. But that wasn't the reason why the fairies were still staring, instead of turning tail and fleeing. The figure's appearance was interesting. The figure had a gangly body, seemingly composed of wood, but the face… the face was a completely different story. Although it showed no emotion, it seemed to express rage and hatred. The intricate red lines drawn on its face seemed to express that. And the spikes along its mask made the figure seem more imposing than it normally would._

_As if those weren't surprising enough, what the figure said next was even more surprising._

"…_Will you guys be my friends?"_

_Lon Lon Ranch_

_A savory aroma drifted out through the window and into the air. A traveling passerby would've instantly been lured to the source of the smell: a young girl stirring a homemade soup inside an earthenware pot over a slow fire. Nearby was a young boy just salivating over the prospect that he would eventually get treated to a meal fit for royalty, despite its meager contents._

"_Alright… the soup is done!" Malon said cheerfully, as she took a wooden ladle and scooped some of the simmering food and placed it into a bowl. She served Link the food as he eyed it and began to dig it. Malon panicked when Link tried to eat the first spoonful and then spit it out and began waving his hands frantically over his mouth._

"_Is it bad?" she asked uncertainly as Link continued his hand movements._

"_N… no… need… wata… must have… wata…" Link sputtered; the heated soup scalded his tongue. Malon giggled at first; then rose up to get some water. She served it to Link who hastily gulped it down in a shot._

"_You're so funny, Fairy Boy," Malon said, smiling. Link recovered and began wheezing heavily. He tried it again, this time blowing on the soup to cool it off. _

"_Ouch…" Link moaned. He was going to have a blister on that tongue… Not a pleasant experience. _

_When the meal was finished, Link helped Malon clear the dishes. She seemed really happy to see Link back, because she wouldn't stop smiling. Even the sun couldn't radiate more rays than she could radiate her happiness. _

"_Where's your dad?" Link asked. _

"_Oh, he's headed to Hyrule Town right now." Malon's smile faltered a little, "I'm not so sure he has what it takes to stay awake for the whole trip."_

"_That sounds like your dad," Link laughed a little. Malon shared his laughter. It was so nice to have an old friend back…_

_Clock Town Tavern, At Night_

"_Nice, Kafei!" a chorus of cheers erupted from the tavern. The tavern was a bustling, lively place. People were chugging down cup by cup of beer. Tonight, a large crowd of men were congratulating a certain young man, who was being forced to drink more and more drinks, on behalf of all his friends._

"_How'd you steal Anju from all of us?" one man asked, grinning. The other men murmured in agreement. Anju was one of the most popular young women in the town; she had many suitors, and yet she chose Kafei. Maybe it was destined to be him. He was among the most handsome of them, and by far, the richest, as his father was the mayor of the town._

"_Well, Tom," Kafei laughed; it was clear that he was intoxicated, as he was slurring and he sloshed his beer around the place, "it all started when we were kids… we promised to get married when we grew up… and it looks like I kept it… for we get married next week!"_

"_Man, you are so stupid sometimes," another man shouted; they all laughed. "A promise is nothing but a past memory that people forget."_

"_There's nothing stupid about that!" Kafei roared, indignant. The man who had said that got up and faced Kafei squarely._

"_Really? And how would you like to prove that?" the man inquired. It was clear that this man was intoxicated also. Kafei, eager to prove that he was man enough, also stood up. The whole tavern hushed, as they anticipated a large scale fight about to erupt._

_Kafei struck first. He threw a punch at the man, who evaded it and slammed Kafei into a table, upending it. People shrieked as glass shattered and the whole tavern was thrown in pandemonium._

_But as soon as it started, it ended. Both men found themselves in the hands of the tavern boss, who was an extremely large and well built man. He looked at the both of them menacingly, making the both of them flinch and cower in fear._

"_I will not have roughhousing in my tavern!" he roared, making the two nearly jump out of their skins. "I expected better from you, Master Kafei, as you are the Mayor's son. What would he think if he saw his son brawling like some Moblin?" Ashamed, Kafei looked down._

"_I'm afraid I'm going to have to throw you out," the manager said. With that, he walked the both of them to the door and threw the two men out. The ground greeted their rear ends quite painfully. The man who had insulted Kafei cursed under his breath and struggled to get up. When he did, he walked away, quite drunkenly._

_Kafei waited for a moment, then got up. He regretted his actions, but he felt he had to defend Anju's promise with him. And then, that's when he saw it. Two bright lights, illuminating a freakish face. Kafei felt scared, but also intrigued. He got up and walked to it, getting chills up his spine. Part of him wanted to run away, but the majority of him wanted to find out what it was._

"_Will you be my friend?" the figure asked. The two lights just hovered there, darting around, as if in fear._

"_What?" Kafei snorted derisively. "Friends? With a freak like you? Go home to your parents, kid. You shouldn't be awake at this hour."_

"_So… you don't want to be… my friend…" the figure said slowly, as if it were slapped in the face hard and brought back to the cold confines of reality. It began emanating a dark aura; Kafei realized the mistake he had mistake and cursed himself for not running away when he had a chance._

"_And a kid, am I?" the figure sniggered maliciously. "We'll just see who's the kid around here, kid." The figure began muttering a dark incantation. Kafei began to turn and run, but he felt his body become airborne. A strange wave inundated him, but it ended as soon as it started._

_When Kafei recovered his senses, he looked around. The figure and the lights were nowhere to be seen. What had the thing done to him? All it seemed to do was help him recover from his alcohol intoxication._

_Then it hit him. He tried to look at a window, when he noticed that he couldn't exactly see his entire face. Frantically, he looked down at himself. His clothes seemed baggy… _

_The figure's words echoed in his head._

"_We'll just see who's the kid around here, kid…" The horror struck him. He had been… transformed back into a kid. How could he marry Anju like this? How could he explain what had happened to his parents and his friends? Tears welled in his eyes. His life, ruined by some strange apparition. Sobbing now, he ran into the alley and disappeared into the darkness._

"_Ahahahaha… that was funny," the figure said, when he saw Kafei running into the alley. The two fairies, Tael and Tatl, also laughed, sharing the amusement that the figure saw, even though Tatl didn't laugh as much._

"_You're so awesome Skullkid," Tael said in admiration. "When can you teach me something like that?"_

_Strange, Tatl thought. First he acts all nice, but for some reason, I feel cold whenever he gets into a mood swing…_

"_I'll teach it eventually, Tael," the Skullkid grinned. "For now, you guys have to follow me. I have a few lessons to teach to a few old friends of mine…"_

* * *

A/N: I would come out with more chapters faster, but I have like 7 hours of hw, extra activites and i'm working on another chapter for another fan fic at the same time.


	4. Chapter 3: Conflict in Woodfall

A/N: still only one review! wow. anyways, i noticed another majora's mask novelization today, and i have to say, its really good. i'm not sure if mine could match that story, but whatever. i'm trying at the best of my abilities. i'm not even 15, for crying out loud. just 3 more chapters, and link arrives in termina. why 3? it'll explain in the middle of the story. please enjoy, and r and r._

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_

_Lon Lon Ranch_

_Link took a look at the fading sun, its last shining rays flowing down upon all of Hyrule, set it ablaze in a flame of colors. He breathed in sadly, thinking that it may be the last time that he would ever Hyrule…_

"_Something on your mind, Fairy Boy?" Malon appeared beside Link. She was wearing her usual dress, yet the sun's gaze painted a picture of gold, red and lavender onto her. Link didn't turn; he just kept gazing at the sun._

"_What if… your friend had to leave home for a long time… and he may never come back, for all you know? What would you do?" Link asked. Malon just stared; she guessed that Link meant himself when he said 'friend'._

"_Fairy Boy…" Malon looked down. She had not guessed that Link was going to leave; he seemed to hide any slight implication of doing so. "Are you really leaving?"_

"_I need to know where my friend went," Link said, avoiding the question, yet answering it. Malon's fears were confirmed. _

"_I… I… would help my friend in whatever way he needs to be helped," she replied quietly. Her voice was soaked with sadness and pity. "And I think I know how to help… wait here." Malon quickly went away, in the direction of the stables._

_Navi… where and why have you gone, Link wondered. Was I the reason? I know I made myself clear that you got in the way sometimes, but I really didn't mean it that way… you were my only constant friend, one by my side, despite the Great Deku Tree giving you orders._

_But… I'm not a Kokiri, and only Kokiri are allowed to have friends… Link sighed. It had been a slight shock to him when he was told that he was a Hylian by both Gaepora Kaebora and the Deku Tree Sprout. But he had never given a moment to think about how Navi must've felt about it. But what difference did it make? Kokiri or no Kokiri, a friend or guardian is still a friend/guardian._

"_Here, Fairy Boy!" Link turned around; Malon came back, leading a beautiful brown pony. The pony neighed happily when she saw Link. Link's eyes widened._

"_Epona!" Link exclaimed. He ran to her and petted her, while Epona just nuzzled him fondly. Malon smiled at the touching reunion. She turned to Link._

"_Link…" Malon said, "I know that you're leaving on a journey, and it won't be an easy one. I decided to increase your transportation speed a bit faster, so you can find the person you're looking for and come back faster! Ok?"_

_Link just stared at the pony, who was getting a bit restless. She shook her head in irritation as a fly buzzed around her. _

"_You're… giving her to me? Oh wow… but why?"_

"_Silly! I told you already," Malon said teasingly. She then blushed a bit, "also because I want you to remember me through Epona."_

"_Wow…" Link hoisted himself up upon Epona and looked down at Malon. "Malon, you're so helpful. I can't thank you enough. I promise, I will come back one day. Don't worry. But I have to go now… I guess I'll see you some day." Link pulled on the stirrups, telling Epona to go. _

_Malon stared into the sun, watching the departing figure, with a smile on her face. She knew that somehow, he was going to come back one day. It may take years, but he was going to come back. The last rays of the sun disappeared, as Link and Epona were disappearing from view…_

_

* * *

Woodfall_

_The sound of laughter was an unusual event to behold in this area. It was full of water and decaying vegetation, and oversized dragonflies swarmed the area. Not a single intelligent life form could be seen, unless the observer targeted in on the source of the laughter._

_The figures' appearances were even stranger than that of the laughter being heard in the swamp. They were short and brown, with semi-human features. They lacked a nose; yet their mouth was shaped like a snout. They did not appear capable of traveling fast, yet they managed to get around easily._

"_Come on, Princess!" the larger figure yelled out, laughing. He was hopping from lily pad to lily pad, skimming across the water like a water strider. The princess, however, was having more difficulty, especially as since she was taking great pains as to not soil her clothing._

"_Hey, come on Big Brother! (don't know the deku's name in MM)." the princess panted. "You know that I have these clothes on! Wait!" She stumbled and fell face first into the water. She began spluttering and gasping for air, but couldn't for she was a Deku. Their special ability was to hop over water, not swim. They are pure wood creatures._

_Her friend stopped. He looked back, with fear on his face. At this rate, he could never save her, even if he went at full speed. He cursed himself for being a Deku, but nonetheless rushed to see what he could do._

_As if on cue, a group of monkeys came down, startling the young Deku, making his fall in surprise. Luckily, he fell onto a lily pad. He watched in amazement, as the monkeys formed a chain and the lead monkey dove underwater. It was a tense time, but eventually, they managed to extract her from the water. She was a mess. Her clothes were tattered, and she was soaking wet and covered in mud. _

_After catching her breath, the princess stood up and glared at the Deku, who had a nervous smile and laughed nervously. _

"_You almost got me killed!" she blurted out, tears flowing down her face. "Don't you know how to take care of a friend and the princess?"_

"_I'm sorry, but… but you just aren't fast enough!" the Deku flung back, trying to defend himself. "You keep worrying about your clothes! They're not that important anyways!"_

"_You… how dare you say those kind of things! My father's the king, and you're only the advisor's son! I can't believe boys! I'm going home!" the princess turned and froze. She found herself staring up at a large figure, who was also looking down at the Dekus and the monkeys._

"_What… what is that?" she gasped. The giant paid no attention, and continued moving. Its footsteps were long and heavy, but it had taken no more than one more step when another 3 figures popped out from the trees._

_The first two figures were fairies; the Princess had seen them in books for most of her life, but she had never seen one in real life. They lights they emanated were so pretty… but the lights had a cold aura to it. That wasn't natural; so she figured that the third figure was the one giving off the negative energy. This was a strange figure… he had a strange mask… a mask which gave her chills… she knew something bad was going to happen… she had to get her friends to safety._

"_Thought you could get away from playing with me, huh?" the masked figure sneered. The giant just stared blankly at the figure, letting out a dull sound ("Who're you?"). The fairies just hovered around the figure, waiting patiently._

'_Well, guess what kind of hell you put me through! I was scared, lonely until you guys decided to play with me and dissipate whatever fear I had in side of me. I was actually happy… and you just took that away from me for your own needs! Well guess what…" the figure's eyes narrowed; "I have needs also. And since you didn't fulfill them, this is your reward." The figure let out a shrill scream, with enough decibels to shatter glass, and let forth a black beam of energy at the giant. The giant had no time react as the energy beam connected with him. _

_Interestingly, the energy beam had no effect, but it did envelope the giant in a giant, purple orb. Minutes passed as all the witnesses and criminal just stared at the orb, holding their respective breaths. Finally, the orb broke free, and what came out was shocking. The giant had undergone a massive metamorphosis._

_He looked different… especially more evil. His face, instead of having a fish-like appearance, looked like a tragedy mask, except for the fact that it was glaring. He appeared more well built, and his body seemed to be composed of something different. Instead of flesh, the body seemed to be made of wood…_

_The three figures cackled in delight. The monkeys and the Dekus stared up; they were appalled. The figure seemed to show no remorse at all. Angry, young Deku gathered his energy and shot out a Deku Nut faster than anyone had thought. The nut hit the masked figure straight in the back, knocking him out of the air, but not enough to hurt the figure._

_Now irate, the masked figure turned and glared at the small group, who was now begin to backtrack out of fear. His gaze went from each one, until it came to the young Deku who had shot him._

"_What… was the purpose of that?" the figure asked slowly, revealing his anger slowly. The Deku gulped, as the figure turned to the transformed monster._

"_Since you are now bound to my will, finish this insolent pest off!" he yelled, as the monster began to advance towards the group. The monkeys, being somewhat smarter, all fled. However, the princess and her friend were frozen in fear._

_The monster looks like Odolwa, the demon deity… the princess thought. That was the only thought she was able to process, as the monster flung its hand at the princess. However, before the hand had crushed the life out of her, another figure knocked her out of the way, sending her sprawling onto the floor. She looked up, and saw her friend collapsed onto the floor. He was dead._

_Dead. Right before her eyes, he had sacrificed his life for the sole, slim hope that she would regain her sense and escape. But that hope was shot down in flames, another hand grabbed her roughly and lifted her towards its face. Not knowing what to do, the princess screamed as loud as she could, hoping that someone would come and rescue her. But no one heard, save the monkeys, and they were all hiding in fear._

_

* * *

Deku Palace_

_A faint scream could be heard, and everyone in the Royal Court lifted their heads at the noise. _

"_Your Majesty, did you hear that?" the advisor asked the king. The king was a plump, round nut shaped like creature, with a mustache, a fine thick mustache than was rare in other Dekus except his advisor. "That sounded like your daughter. Is she in trouble?"_

_At the mere mention of the word daughter, the Deku King jumped out of his throne. He had always overreacted towards the safety of his daughter, ever since the day his wife had drowned, and there was no one to save her. He frowned, as he heard the scream fade and grew more and more concerned._

"_Send out the soldiers!" he ordered. "Tell them to find my daughter! I will not have her harmed while I still live! Capture anything you see posing a threat to my daughter!"_

_The advisor bowed and hurried out of the chamber, to alert the soldiers._

_I won't forgive myself if something happens to her… the Deku King thought angrily, as he sat back down in his seat._

_

* * *

Woodfall Swamp_

_The monster was on the verge of crushing the life out of the poor princess, until the figure noticed her clothes and crown._

"_Wait!" he commanded just before the monster applied direct pressure. "She's a member of the Deku royalty! Hm… perhaps I can make a game out of this… for now, she is to be placed in the cage under Woodfall Temple," he grinned, "which is where you'll be locked up for betraying me in the first place." He snapped his fingers, instantly transporting the giant and the captive princess. The fairies laughed appreciatively, although the lighter colored one didn't show that much heart. She just laughed because of the power she saw the figure have. She didn't understand why her brother couldn't see past the evil… the only reason why she stuck around was because she feared for her brother's safety._

_What force drives the Skull kid to do what he does? She wondered. What could the world have possibly done onto him to make him take out his wrath in such inhumane ways?_

_The fairy was still pondering, even as she and the other two blended into the background…_

_Down on the lily pad, two monkeys began to stir. They both shook their heads in confusion. In the events before, both had ran into each other, trying to flee the peril. For some reason, it seemed that the two strange creatures that they had seen before had disappeared. So had those two monstrosities and the two lights._

_A noise in the underbrush made both of them jump in surprise. Because they were still groggy, they couldn't act on impulse and flee. It was to their disadvantage, as they saw a group of creatures, similar to the ones they had seen before, appear from the swamp. They didn't appear too friendly, as they were carrying weapons._

"_Where did you take the princess?" the leader barked. He was wearing some kind of shiny substance and was holding a piece of hardened bark, along with a sharpened stick. The monkeys had now where to go. The creatures surrounded them on every side._

"_No answer, eh?" the leader grinned and knocked one of the monkeys to the floor. Seeing his friend get attacked, the other monkey roared in anger and charged the leader, only to be found face to face with an angry wall of points. Realizing he was defeated, the monkey stopped in his tracks faced the soldiers defiantly._

…_From the canopy, the Skull Kid and the two fairies were watching everything. The Skull Kid sniggered silently. Everything was going as he had planned. There were only 3 more giants to go…_

* * *

Did everyone enjoy? If so, then cool. If not, then please tell me where I went wrong. I will try to fix it sometime in the future.


	5. Chapter 4: It's Snowing in Snowhead

A/N: I've given up on the hope that I would get ratings. I've only gotten one; but I'm not surprised. I'm just a newbie writer. Hopefully, I'll get more reviews in future projects.

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_

_Hyrule Field_

_Link stared through the fog, trying to see the outline of Hyrule Castle Town, but all he could discern were swirling grey clouds. Epona whinnied nervously, as she slowed down further to nothing but a trot. The fact that Hyrule Field was a grassy flatland didn't help much to the cause._

_But… like an apparition, the shadowy figure of Hyrule Castle Town's walls loomed in front of Link, surprising him a bit. It was exactly how he remembered it; ancient and protective. The drawbridge was down, and there was only a solitary guard on post, peering through the fog as well. He seemed anxious about something, as if an evil were to fell him in one swoop._

_The guard nearly jumped out of his armor when he saw Link and Epona just appear out of nowhere from the fog._

"_Don't scare me like that, kid!" the guard sputtered. "Here I am, just minding my own business, and you pop up like some ghost. I seriously thought you were some Moblin or something like that."_

"_Sorry, but, as you can tell, I'm not a Moblin," Link said. "Do I look that ugly to you?"_

"_Uh… no," the guard replied, apparently taken aback by the type of response he had received. Kids these days are so disrespectful, he thought. "Welcome to Hyrule Castle Town," he introduced, realizing he had a duty to all visitors. "Population, 1,003 and growing. I'm sorry, but you can't enter with your horse unless you have merchandise to sell. And you're a little young to sell things?" he inquired, raising his eyebrow. He had obviously noticed the sword and shield strapped at Link's back. Could the rumors be true…?_

_Link looked reluctant to just give up Epona to an unknown guard. However, he gave in, and whispered something into her ear. Epona looked uneasy, but nevertheless stayed perfectly calm when Link got off of her (he nearly tripped) and handed the reins to the guard (who was still goggling at the weapons)._

"_Thanks. Don't forget to come by to this shed when you're all done with your stay," the guard said, as he led Epona to a nearby stable. Link watched as the guard disappeared into the shed, and then proceeded into the bustling town ahead._

_

* * *

Snowhead_

"_Wow… pretty…" a baby Goron squealed as he saw a glistening snowflake flutter past him and onto the floor. Eventually, that single snowflake was accompanied by a wide flurry, and soon became a storm that engulfed the entire area in white. Yet, the baby Goron still stared in admiration, for he was looking on inside a cave. He started bawling, however, when the entrance the cave closed…_

_

* * *

Another part of Snowhead, 1 hour before_

"_This mountains are huge!" Tael exclaimed, darting around. He was yelling; for he was having fun listening to his echoes bounce off of the mountain sides and coming back to him. Tatl, his sister, just stared at him and wondered if she had that much fun when she was his age._

_The Skull Kid just floated forward on the path, not paying any attention to the childish actions of the dark fairy. All that was on his mind was the revenge he felt he rightfully deserved. Yet… another part of him wanted to find his friends and reconcile with them. Tatl noticed many strange occurrences within the miniscule fiend. Whenever she felt him get emotional, she was affected by the darkness coming from deep within his soul… but when he was normal, all she could feel was the emotions of a sad child, one bereft of his childhood and friends. _

_But that face… it reminded her of something… Tatl suddenly remembered what it was. She had heard it from an old lady at the inn a year ago, back when she and Tael were wandering around the land, with no definite plans…_

_

* * *

One year ago… Clock Town Inn_

"_What story do you want to hear child?" an elderly lady asked a child. The child was staring at the lady fearfully, as if she were a child-eating witch. The child, too petrified to move, just stared at her, ready to cry at any sudden move._

"_Grandma! Your dinners ready!" A woman bustled in, carrying a tray laden with food. The aroma was tempting, but the old lady did not budge. Instead, she continued to look at the child, who was looking at the new lady pleadingly, looking for a way to escape. Instead, the child was rooted in place by the old lady's fixed stare._

"_Anju, I'm in the middle of telling a story here," the lady snapped at her granddaughter, "Can't you leave the dinner on the table? I'll come back for it later."_

"_But Grandma, you said the same thing last night, and you didn't come back to eat it," Anju pointed out. "Are you starving yourself?"_

"_No! I'm just too preoccupied with my story to eat anything!" the old lady was practically waving her arms around hysterically. Anju, deciding that it was not the best time to say anything more, quietly left, closing the door behind her. The child grew even more scared, when he saw his only escape route blocked and the lady's attention not fully locked onto him._

"_Don't be scared, Jim," the lady said. "I just want to tell you a story. I'm not going to eat you." The child, though still wary, appeared interested._

"_I want to hear this story!" Jim jumped up and grabbed a book off a shelf. It was a dusty, red book, with no cover picture of any sort. It appeared even more ancient than the old lady herself._

"_Well, well, well…" the lady muttered. "I haven't seen this book since I was 5… and that seems like a lifetime ago…" she opened the book and stared with interest. "So, you've decided on this book, have you? Well, I'm sure you'll like this story…"_

"_Millions upon millions of years ago, in another world, much like our own…" she began, in an ominous tone. Jim became even more scared; the lady's complexion darkened._

_

* * *

Millions of years ago, unknown world/dimension_

_It was a barren, desolate world. There was no sign of any life anywhere, even though the landscape showed signs of an ancient civilization. However, there was one being, one who was probably there since the beginning of Time… when the Gods and the Goddesses came into existence…_

_He was a peculiar creature, being one you might have seen at a festival; a colorful dragon, yet a real one, nonetheless. He had large scales, shimmering in the sun; but his head had an array of spikes, and hair, which was very unusual for a dragon. Very beautiful and exotic to behold, yet lethal at the same time. It was said that he had the power to grant wishes, but his nature was not to do so. Instead, he did what most other dragons did; he ate the people of that land. He consumed them one by one, until he was the sole occupant._

_Now, it happened that one day, there was a wandering traveler. The traveler was equipped with nothing save a large bag, containing his belongings. The traveler looked weary; he approached the dragon with no anxiety showing on his face. Instead, he smiled, which surprised the dragon, in addition to the fact that there was a human right in front of him._

_Now, this was no ordinary human. He had traveled to many lands, gained much valuable experience, and was known by a single name: the Fierce Deity. The Fierce Deity was almost regarded as a god, too many; because of his skill in combat and with blades. His skills had so much mastery and soul put into it; that it was considered godlike. However, the dragon was not aware of this; having spent so much time alone. Instead, he stared the traveler in the eye and questioned him._

"_It's been an extremely long time since I have ever seen a human… but why have you come?" the dragon inquired. "No… I can tell what you want… every human wanted the same thing."_

"_I just want some rest and water," the traveler smiled politely. He had sat down and eyed the dragon with respect._

"_Lies…" the dragon hissed; his eyes narrowed. "All you humans ever wanted from me was my armor, so that your wishes would be granted."_

"_Is that what you can do?" the traveler asked mildly. "I have not heard about this. I haven't even hear about this land; I was merely traveling without a map. Tell me; why happened to the people of this land?"_

"_Didn't you listen?" the dragon snapped. "All the humans wanted my armor, and they tried to take it from me. I devoured them."_

"_And what wrong have they done to you except want your mask?"_

"_You are an ignorant traveler, if you do not know. Humans merely want everything for themselves; they will resort to everything within their power to grasp the thing they want… they attacked me with weapons, with deceit, with everything they can think of…"_

"_And yet, I still do not desire this armor of yours, even if what you said was true…"_

"_Why else would you be here? Do not try to hide that armor; I can see it perfectly." The dragon stared at the Deity, who had failed to hide his emerald green armor under his cloak. The Deity just smiled._

"_Tell me, how long have you been here?" the Deity asked. The dragon stared in surprise. "A century? A millennium? Possibly even millions of years?"_

"_Far longer than you will ever guess!" the dragon roared._

"_In a sense, I feel sympathy for you." the Deity said, with no emotion. "Have you ever tried leaving this land?"_

"_No…" the dragon said. He wondered why. What strange force could have possibly kept him to this land, despite the fact that there was nothing to do? He did not notice the traveler unsling his bag and begin to chant an incantation._

"_You know… I've never really…" the dragon stopped short as he saw what the Deity was doing. He was about to let out a roar; only to have his voice drowned out by the roar of wind coming from the bag. The dragon felt something being sucked out from deep inside of him, and soon, he collapsed. The dragon had its soul sucked out, leaving only the sacred armor behind._

_The Deity picked his luggage up. He smiled to himself; he had captured the very essence of a powerful creature; one that had devoured hundreds of innocent souls. He delicately plucked a feather from his headband, and in a fluid motion, the feather transformed into a razor sharp sword. With a swing, the Deity cut through the armor and began designing an object. _

_Soon, it resembled a mask. The mask was based upon the dragon's designs; it had spikes all around; with various colored stripes running from one end to another. When he was done, the mask resembled a fiend. The Deity then opened his bag, and transferred the dragon's soul into the mask._

"_I hope you never trouble anyone else…" the Deity said quietly, as he took the mask and began traveling towards his next destination…_

_

* * *

Forward Millions of Years, Clock Town Inn_

"…_And that is how the mask known as Majora's Mask came to existence…" the old lady said. She paused, looking at Jim; he was captivated. "Eventually, the Deity did pass away; his spirit remains locked away in an equally wondrous mask known as the Fierce Deity's Mask; but both are lost to legend. They say that the mask eventually regained its powers and disappeared; but I think that that's a load of Moblin dung. I think that the mask is out there somewhere, trying to call out to someone so that it can control the unlucky being in its power."_

_

* * *

One Year Forward; Snowhead_

_Tatl didn't watch where she was heading; she was too busy lost in her thoughts as she flew around. She eventually hit the wall of a cliff; shocked, she shook herself and looked around. Tael and Skullkid were nowhere to be seen._

"_Tael? Skullkid!" Tatl yelled out, hoping that they would hear, but to no avail. Tatl grew worried; had they abandoned her? Then she heard an agonized scream. Immediately, she flew towards the source of the scream, as fast as her wings would carry her._

_What she saw at the location was surprising; yet she had expected this to happen. The Skullkid was towering over a mechanical bull; Tatl assumed that that was formerly one of the giants that the Skullkid was talking about._

"_Because of you, all of Snowhead will be purged in a winter snowstorm!" the Skullkid yelled. "All life in this area will be exterminated!" He let out a high pitched cackle, as the weather worsened and flurries of snow began coming down. Tatl hurried to her brother's side, as the Skullkid disappeared along with the fairies, leaving the Mechanical Bull Goht to guard over his frozen domain._

_How far is he going to go with this? Tatl wondered. How many innocent souls will be affected because of his thirst for revenge? She decided it was best to go along with this; for she had seen the power, and she now knew what its ancient history was. It was based upon the greed anddesiresof every human being the dragon had consumed, plus the dragon's own lonliness… If he were to be left unchecked, all of Termina would be devastated…_

* * *

A/N: Well, Link's gonna go see our favorite Princess. And things are going to get real chilly in Snowhead. Up until Chapter 5, be good! (if anyone does read this... and if you do, please give reviews! or ideas/flames). 


	6. Chapter 5: Cause and Effect

A/N: Hey there. I had to do a lot of research about the game before I wanted to write any of this, but I'm not exactly sticking to the formula. As usual, please enjoy and R & R

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* * *

Hyrule Castle_

_Hyrule Castle was every bit as magnificent as Link thought it would be. Towering into the sky, standing there proudly, a tribute to the grand history of Hyrule. Link grinned slightly to himself. How ironic that the proud were usually the first to fall in times of danger. He could recall the first time he had come here, to see the Princess of Destiny, as the Great Deku Tree had called her. It wasn't easy; he to sneak past all the guards, Looking up at the rock wall, Link saw that the vines entangling a portion of the wall had grown further. Making sure that they were not decaying, Link hoisted himself up and began climbing._

_The climb was short, but tiring. The shield that Link had purchased was heavier than he had thought, but he was able to use it with as much efficiency as his previous Deku Shield. Too bad that the Deku Shield burned up in the Dodongo's Cavern._

_Once he hoisted himself up onto the cliff, Link looked around cautiously; he remembered the last time he had tried this; he had gotten thrown out no less than five times._

_This time around; he was further prepared. However, this would be like a walk in Hyrule Field filled with Stalfos; it was long and dangerous, since there were a great more number of guards. Link tried to go forward, but he froze when he heard a voice on the other side of the boulder he was next to._

"_Did you hear something?"_

"_Yeah, but it was probably some stupid squirrel getting tangled in the vines."_

"_You still wanna go check?"_

"_Uh… no. I have off duty in five minutes, and I don't want to miss that. The snacks at the town's café are to die for!"_

_Link breathed in deeply; he had been spared once. Stealth was essential to this phase of his quest; he must not get caught. The guards remember him too well._

_5 whole minutes had passed before Link decided to move again. He noticed that most of the guards had left their posts for snacks; their replacements would come at any second. It was now or never. With a sudden rush of courage, Link burst from his spot and sprinted across, never looking back._

_He should've also looked forward. One moment, he felt solid ground underneath his feet; the next thing he knew; he was in midair. Link panicked one second too late; he was already falling. The ground rushed up to him and hit him hard._

_Oh… that's gonna sting tomorrow, Link thought. He grimaced as he moved his leg. Nothing was broken; it was just that the pain was immense. However, he would be able to regain movement within a few minutes._

_But that was seriously embarrassing. The Hero of Time, getting into 4 accidents in one day! (He walked into wall at Lon Lon Ranch, soup scalded his tongue, fell off of Epona in Hyrule Castle Town and now this). Insult really does add to injury, Link thought. Navi would be getting such a good laugh out of this if she did see me…_

_Eventually, the pain subsided, and Link gingerly got up and test his leg. It seemed to be perfectly fine. Walking cautiously, Link crept amongst the rocks and brush, avoiding the glares of the guards, until he got to a familiar rock formation that made a ladder._

_Nothing's going to stop me from seeing the Princess, Link thought. Not even my blasted leg, as the pain returned with a vengeance…_

_

* * *

Snowhead Mountain_

_The wind was howling even more fiercely; the white frost of death piled up higher and higher with each passing second. The air around the area grew so bitter that the flames had eventually lost their warmth and sputtered. The Gorons were thankful for their excess fat reserves; they would be ice blocks by now. Despite the insulated fat, they couldn't help but shivering and huddling together to keep warm._

"_Goro… what's with the weather?" Darmani asked himself. The weather wasn't usually like this, despite the place being christened 'Snowhead'. It rarely snowed except for in the winter, and even then it didn't snow as fiercely as it did._

"_This isn't good…" the Elder said, who was right next to the Goron Hero. "If it keeps snowing at this rate, we won't be able to escape our cave. We'll be barricaded in here, and if the cold doesn't get to us, the hunger definitely will. And some won't last as long as others," he added morosely, as he looked as his baby son, who will playing with Darmani's hand amusedly. The baby had looked up to Darmani for so long… almost like a real brother. _

_Darmani, sensing the Elder's fears and grief, felt something deep within him stir. He got up abruptly, surprising all the Gorons in the vicinity._

"_I will go to Snowhead Temple and see if I can do something about it," Darmani said boldly, surprising everyone even more. Silence reigned for a while, but the baby Goron broke the silence with a cry._

"_Darmani! Don't go!" the baby wailed. Darmani recoiled at the sight of the baby bawling; the baby Goron was like a brother to him as well. The Elder stepped in as well._

"_He's right, Darmani," the Elder said darkly. "The weather is too ferocious also. There's no way you'd survive in this treacherous terrain. Not only will you be constantly bitten at by the frost; the snows will reduce your visibility to mere inches, and you know about the steep cliffs in this area. I absolutely forbid it. You'll die out there."_

"_I know!" Darmani roared; he slammed his fist into the wall of the cave; it was so powerful that shock wave ripples slightly formed and traveled throughout the cave. The baby grew so scared that he began to cry even harder. Darmani calmed down; he breathed heavily. "But just staying here means that we all die a more painful death. Don't worry about me; I'm the Goron hero, right? I'll come up with something." _

_Darmani put on a brave smile; but he received none in return. The other Gorons may have admired his courage, but they feared that he may have done himself in this time. However, they did not dare question his strength, especially when the Goron was roused like this. With a last fond look at all the Gorons, Darmani began making his way to the entrance of the cave, when he felt a tug at his tunic. He turned; it was the baby Goron._

"_Promise… promise you'll be back, Darmi?" the baby whimpered. Darmani just laughed and lifted the baby high in the air._

"_I promise… now you be a good child and listen to your father while I'm gone," Darmani said with confidence. "When I come back, I'll teach you the Goron Punch." He set the baby down and smiled. "Goro!" he yelled, thrusting his arm into the air. The baby squealed in delight. _

_Darmani opened the door to the cave; the snow was already halfway piled up against the door. He was greeted by a frigid blast of winter air, but that did not discourage him. He rolled his way through the snow obstacle, clearing all snow out of the doorway. A few seconds later, the door closed with a dull, pessimistic thud._

"_Darmani, too often you have saved the Gorons," the Elder said under his breath. "As much as I hate to admit it, we need you the most now… please save us… for my son's sake," he finished, looking at his baby son; the infant's countenance had reverted back to its original state._

_

* * *

Southern Swamp/The Lost Forest_

_A solitary shack stood in the middle of a swamp, standing out from its surroundings. It was definitely the odd one out, because of many factors. Not only was it a manmade structure, the color scheme did not fit in with the grim, wild and poisonous mood of the swamp. The roof was a bright crimson red and deep blue, with thin purple stripes, compared to the murky green, brown and black of the swamp._

_The sound of high pitched cackling only added further to the oddity of the house. Inside, two elderly women were standing over a boiling cauldron, adding various ingredients to the concoction. The women were wearing black robes that had red and blue hems at the edge of the sleeves._

"_Koume," one of the witches said. Her twin grunted in response. "What exactly is this for?"_

"_Kotake, my naïve sister," the other witch laughed. "Didn't you yourself come up with this plan? The plan to free our master from the Hyrulean Castle?"_

"_Oh yes, Koume," the other sister exclaimed. "Forgive me; I'm becoming a bit senile after 394 years of living. But why did we have to come here?"_

"_Kotake, where would you be without me?" Koume admonished slightly. "In Hyrule, they're rounding up everyone who's in league with our master… it's best to perform in this strange land posing as nice old ladies, where no one but the monkeys and Dekus would suspect us."_

"_Oh…" Kotake shuffled to the ingredient shelf and extracted an empty bottle. "Uh… Koume… we seem to have run out of that mushroom…" Koume looked up in surprise._

"_What? But this potion needs that ingredient especially…" Koume said. "Kotake, be a dear and go fetch me some of that mushroom. It grows specifically in the middle of the Lost Forest."_

"_What? Why don't you go? You're the one who knows where it is." Kotake was going to put up a better argument, but the icy gaze of Koume made her freeze on the spot. "I'll… just be going then," Kotake said gloomily. She grabbed her broom and went out the door._

"_Stupid Koume…" Kotake grumbled, she mounted her broom and took off. "Always making me do all the manual labor…" The wind whipped over all the wrinkles on her face, smoothing them out a tiny bit as she flew towards the middle of the forest. Looking down, she noticed an oddity with the water._

"_Geh? What's this?" she murmured. "The water wasn't this color when I came over… is this one of Koume's weird experiments?" She went lower to get a better look; she regretted doing so, for the water had a pungent smell that nearly knocked her off of her broom. It smelled worse than Koume was hideous._

_However, she did not look at where she was going; she didn't realize that until she looked up at the last second. Her face was a contorted into a wide stare of shock that would've looked like abstract painting. Then she slammed into the tree headfirst, destroying her broom, but throwing her off the broom. The ground received her with disgust as a loud thud could be heard._

_Because of the noise, several whitish brown monkeys poked their heads out of the trees. They were frightened; earlier they had witnessed murder and the abduction of two of their comrades. But they calmed down when they saw that it was the ugly weird lady from the strange house in the middle of the house._

"_Should we go help?" a monkey asked. The other monkeys nodded in unison. Their presence was not taken to kindly by the fallen witch; she took one look at them and screamed in fear, which amused them. An old lady fearing a monkey?_

_

* * *

Great Bay_

"_So this is the ocean?" Tatl asked the Skullkid as Tael just flittered here and there, like usual. The two fairies despite all their trips to all over Termina had never been to an ocean before. "It's so… vast."_

"_It is, isn't it," the Skullkid replied. He seemed to be in a better mood right now, as he was responding to Tatl's comments and questions. Tatl felt slightly calmer; she did not feel the dark aura coming from him or the strange mask he was wearing._

"_Why're we here?"_

"_I feel his presence… he should be near here…" the Skullkid said, freezing on the spot. He looked around; Tatl guessed he might've been referring to the giant. Skullkid had told them everything about them; so many times that Tatl knew she was not going to be nostalgic about not hearing that story once more._

"_Well, well, well… what have we here?" a sly, seductive voice leered from behind the trio. Skullkid and the two fairies turned; they found themselves facing a wall of cutlasses and spears. Tael just hid behind Tatl, who in turn hid behind Skullkid, who remained emotionless._

"_Who are you?" the Skullkid asked slowly. He was still trying to determine what their true intentions were._

"_Silence! I'll ask the questions here, demon, not you." The leader grinned. She looked different from most of the other humans that lived in Termina. She had olive green eyes with tanned smooth skin, and she was dressed in clothes that covered only half her body. She looked exotic, but as most exotic flora and fauna go, they were quite deadly. Such was her case, as she was pointing both her cutlasses at the Skullkid._

"_You really have no idea of what I can do, can you?" the Skullkid almost smiled. Or it would've seemed that he was smiling; the mask seemed to twist its image around, giving it a more horrifying image. He waved his hands; in an instant; all the women went flying and landed 10 to 20 feet away on the sands; some in the water. Only the leader was standing. She looked surprised and shaken; yet she didn't relinquish her grip on the swords._

"_What… what are you?" she asked. She had never seen someone use magic, and one that strong. All she had been used to was melee combat with the Zoras._

"_You don't need to know that…" the Skullkid said darkly; it seemed he was beginning to revert back to his old self. Meanwhile, the pirate thought to herself. He would be such an invaluable asset in their mission right now… but how would she be able to convince a demon like that? Suddenly, she had an inspiration._

"_You know… I'm a pirate…" she said slyly, her voice dripping with treachery, like the way a chocolate covered a root. Sweet appearance, yet bitter taste. "I'm able to give you anything that you want… money, power, anything… you name your price."_

_The Skullkid laughed darkly; which disturbed the pirate. Most men would instantly succumb to the temptation of money, power or her charms. But this wasn't even a human._

"_Nice try," he said; his voice seemed to have deepened, producing a near guttural sound. "But you don't fool me. What is it you really want?"_

_The pirate, her options running out, decided to tell him the truth outright and pray that he wouldn't turn on them. But the chances of that happening were slim to none._

"_We're planning a raid on the Zora Hall, because we have overheard that 7 certain gems are able to locate a treasure deep inside the Great Bay Temple, which we haven't had any success finding."_

"_And how would my powers be helpful in this little heist of yours?"_

"_Your powers would even out the odds," the pirate earnestly explained, deciding to test her luck out further, "the Zoras are our enemies. Every time we clash with them, they bring in more and more reinforcements. We're outnumbered almost all the time, and in addition to that, they have the environmental advantage."_

"_This could be interesting… but what do I gain out of this?"_

"_What do you want?"_

"_A chance for vengeance."_

"_Against who?"_

"_An old friend. He might turn up if I help you…"_

_

* * *

Zora Hall, 1 hour later_

"_Lulu? Luluuu…." A rotund Zora was waddling about trying to find his star. He didn't notice where he was walking until he bumped into another Zora, this one being well-built and a pale turquoise blue._

"_Ouch… oh, it's you Mikau," the Zora said, looking up at the thinner Zora. "Have you seen Lulu anywhere?"_

"_No, and that's pretty strange. Usually she would be the first to the rehearsal stage," Mikau frowned. "The others have gathered for the final practice, but we can't do anything without her voice."_

_The two decided that it would be better if they split up and decided to search for her; the Zora Hall was vast and filled with Zoras eager to listen to Mikau's band, the Indigo-Gos. However, that plan was put off, when a large rumble filled the spacious cavern._

"_What was that?" Mikau asked his rotund partner. Toto just looked around frantically. There seemed to be no damage, but where had the rumbling just come from? There was no way it was an earthquake; earthquakes don't happen at Great Bay._

_Frightened screams told them what the reason was. They looked down at the main floor; to their dismay, bands of Gerudo were pouring through a gaping hole in the wall. They were armed with their usual weapons, hacking away at every Zora in sight. A few Zora fell in the confusion, but eventually the tide had turned as the Zora men decided to fight back. Within mere minutes, amidst all the yelling and dust, the remaining Gerudo found themselves surrounded by a crowd of angry Zora._

"_What in Majora's name are you doing?" one Zora demanded. The others had murder in their eyes; several Zora had fallen._

"_It's not what we did, but what we will be doing," a Gerudo grinned. "Look who's on our side now." On cue, a small marionette like figure emerged with a horrifying mask. Mikau stared in horror at the figure; he had heard legends about that mask. But he had been skeptical about that legend; he didn't believe that masks with that sort of power even existed._

_With a simple sweep of his hand, the figure sent all the Zora flying and hitting the wall or any other debris. Some of them were unlucky enough to get crushed beneath some more debris or impaled._

"_Nice technique," the Gerudo commented Skullkid. Skullkid ignored her; he just scanned the place; looking for any opposition. When he found none, he turned to the Gerudo._

"_I've done my part. Now you go and do what you have to do."_

"_Will do." The Gerudo grinned and gathered her party. They began separating and searching the rooms._

"_What was that explosion?" a female Zora pondered. She looked out the window; nothing seemed to be wrong. She then looked at her eggs, all seven of them, which were glistening softly in the light. Somehow, she knew that something was going to happen. She had to get out of there._

_But it was too late. When she turned to face the door, she found herself surrounded by three Gerudo pirates pointing scimitars at her._

"_My, my… aren't we a pretty one?" one of them leered. "It's too bad you're a Zora… we might've spared you…" They saw the eggs behind the Zora and stared._

"_Aren't those…"_

"_Yeah, you're right. We should get that to the boss."_

"_Gail, you kill her while we bring these pearls to the boss." Two of the three Gerudo grabbed all seven pearls and left the room while the other advanced on Lulu, who was backing away. She felt herself back up against the wall… The Gerudo raised her sword… Lulu knew she was going to die and closed her eyes, waiting for the fatal blow to land…_

_But the blow never landed. Instead, what Lulu heard was a loud noise, like pottery being smashed. When she opened her eyes, she found Mikau holding a cracked pot, along with a scared Toto._

"_Sorry about the pot," Mikau said grinning. Lulu breathed a sigh of relief. "We have to get out of here. The other Zoras have managed to get out of here; we should leave also. The Gerudo have some weird demon working with them; his magic is too strong."_

"_I… I can't leave," Lulu said morosely. Toto and Likau stared at her. "The Gerudo… they stole my eggs."_

"_WHAT?" Mikau yelled. He looked furious, managed to calm himself. "We'll get those eggs back, but for now, safety is our priority. He helped Lulu to her feet and quickly dragged her and a bewildered Toto out the room._

_Outside, the group froze. The Skullkid was floating in midair above them. His glare was cold, and it drove waves upon waves of chills up their spines. He didn't look forgiving and he just floated there. Mikau decided to make a break for it, but as he tried, the Skullkid invoked some ancient magic, sending Mikau flying against the wall. Lulu screamed in shock as Toto just whimpered._

_Someone help us… the both of them thought. Deity of the Ocean… please help us…_

_The Skullkid was about to use some more magic when he suddenly stopped. He looked outside; there was a large brown figure standing outside glaring at the Skullkid. His face contorting into a wide evil grin, the Skullkid flew outside._

_The giant was not in a forgiving mood. As soon as the Skullkid flew outside, the giant slammed the Skullkid with its hand, sending the demon flying into a wall and crashing hard. The giant then let out a primal roar and rushed to the Skullkid, who was shaking off the impact._

_The giant was about to deliver another blow, when the Skullkid let out a piercing yell; the Zora still inside and the Gerudo covered their ears in agony. Then he used some kind of magic, sealing the giant in a gigantic purple orb. Everyone held their breaths as the time slowly passed. _

_Suddenly, the orb burst, and from it a monstrous fish emerged. It was brown, and its body was lined with spines and scales. Decorating its mouth were rows upon rows of jaws. The fish landed in the water and swum around madly, while the Skullkid cackled. Then, with a snap of his fingers, the fish disappeared into thin air (or water). Then he himself disappeared._

"_What… what just happened?" Toto asked, staring at the place where the Skullkid used to be, while Lulu checked upon Mikau, who was getting up slowly. He was dazed, but seemed to be alright._

_What are we going to do now? Lulu wondered, as the three stared sadly at the ruins of their Zora Hall. The damage wasn't as bad; there was debris littering the floor and two giant gaping holes in the wall. But there were bodies of both Gerudo and Zora on the floor as well._

"_Wait… where did the Gerudo go?" Mikau asked. He looked around; there was no Gerudo pirate in sight. Upon hearing this, Lulu staggered and fainted._

"_Lulu-!"_

* * *

A/N: One of my longer chapters but definetely not the best, although more action oriented. I would like to take this time to acknowledge my resources. Majora's Mask (game), the manga and the Internet.

Chapter 6: the final of the giants! Showdown at Ikana! Meanwhile, Link begins traveling towards (unknowingly) to the land where the next part of his destiny is shaped. Until then, be good.


	7. Chapter 6: The Final Giant

A/N: It's a little late... and I got several calls from teachers, saying I'm not living up to expectations. So expect less frequent updates. Oh, and enjoy, even though I rushed through with this one a bit. R&R as usual!

_

* * *

_

_Hyrule Castle_

_Link slowly approached the final obstacle. Just two more guards and he would finally meet _

_Princess Zelda. His only regret was not having brought the letter that she had given him; that would've spared so much time. It was quite unfortunate that he had dropped it in the lava of Dodongo's Cavern._

_But this would suffice. Link slowly extracted a pea shaped object the size of his finger from his leather pouch and waited until both soldiers were within striking range. Throwing caution to the winds, Link threw the Deku Nut at both the soldiers. His aim was true (Hylians had abnormally good aiming skill, but Link had aiming far better than that) and it landed in between the surprised soldiers and went off with a loud bang, stunning the two of them momentarily._

_Seizing his oppurtunity, Link rushed off, muttering a quick apology to the soldiers, who_

_didn't hear anything; they were still unconscious. He approached an arched hallway, and saw the Princess sitting on the steps of her usual favorite spot. She looked wistful, and Link wondered why. Figuring it would be best if he talked to her instead of pondering her thoughts, Link approached the Princess..._

_"Princess Zelda?" the Princess looked up from her thoughts and brightened when she saw that it was Link._

_"Link... is that really you?" she rubbed her eyes to make sure it wasn't some illusion. "It really is you! Wow... you've grown," she commented, causing Link to blush the same as he had when Malon said that to him._

_"Zelda, I didn't really come to stop and say hi... but... rather..." Link couldn't get the words out, and he looked away sadly._

_"I know... you came to say goodbye..." Zelda said sadly. Link looked up, surprised._

_"How did you..."_

_"know?" Zelda finished, smiling sadly. "I'm endowed with telepathic powers, Link. Reading your mind is a simple task for the future Sage of Time."_

_"Oh... right."_

_"Don't be sad, Link..." Zelda said, "you'll come back one day. I can sense it. It's your destiny to lead Hyrule to an age of prosperity and deliver it from evil."_

_"Uh... I have to go," Link said, not knowing what else to say; he also noticed the sun beginning to set. "I can't be late..." he turned to leave, but Zelda stopped him with her hand._

_"Link, there is one thing I have to teach you..." she said. Link looked curious. "Do you have the Ocarina of Time?"_

_Link extracted the periwinkle blue object from his pocket; it glimmered with ancient light magic. The two of them stared at the beauty of it in silence for five minutes._

_"...Do you remember the Song of Time?" Zelda asked. Link nodded, how could he forget a song that had aided him in his quest to save Hyrule? The slow melancholy tune played in his mind once more..._

_'What I did not mention to you is that there are different variations of the song, Link." Zelda looked serious now. "The Inverted Song of Time lets you go against the river of time and return to the past... and the Double Song of Time lets you move into the future... but be warned. The Inverted Song of Time causes you to lose everything you have up to a certain point meaning that, for example,if you want to go back 3 hours, everything you obtained after 3 hours ago will disappear. So will the events that occurred... but I've heard that only a few chosen ones can manipulate this... and choose what events that occured to let alone or erase... I'm guessing that that person is you, Link."_

_"Wow..." Link breathed in. He had never guessed that the tune had so much flexibility and powerful mystique to it._

_"Plus, I... want you to remember me through it, Link," Zelda teared and smiled, "when you're facing the worst dangers or your worst fears, play that tune and remember me through it..."_

_"I will... Princess," Link smiled warmly, and turned to leave. Suddenly, he stopped and turned around, with a sheepish girn on his face._

_"Zelda?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"I don't think its safe for me to travel back the way I came from; the guards are probably gonna wonder who stunned them... so could I go through the front gate?"_

_Zelda sighed. No matter how much she liked him, a hopeless fool was a hopeless fool, even if he was the Hero of Time._

_

* * *

Romani Ranch_

_"How much do ya wanna sell Romani Ranch for?" an ugly bearded man drawled at a young woman. She looked at him with a mixture of outrage and disgust._

_"This ranch was taken care of my father and bequeathed to me and my sister!" she replied adamantly. "Why would I give it to the likes of you?"_

_"Because we're more capable of tending the ranch than you are, pretty," the man replied. He laughed derisively, then stopped, as the woman's hand flew gracefully through the air and smacked him in the face. He staggered backwards, looking at her in shock._

_"I don't see you earning that much lately!" the woman retorted. "And look at the condition of your horses! Near starvation, if I say so myself."_

_"You'll regret that woman..." the man snarled. "You're lucky my older brother wasn't here..."_

_"Running to family for protection, now are we?" the woman leered. "To tell you the truth, your brother was several times the man you are. He wouldn't have done this; he would've actually asking for a partnership. You can take your sorry ass and your dirty Rupees out of my farm, before I call my little sister and have her shoot you with her arrows. She's a pretty darn good archer."_

_The man gave her a look of contempt and walked away from the farm. She watched him go and then breathed a sigh of relief, and turned, to find her sister shooting at a strange orange balloon. It somehow reminded her of a Poe._

_"Shooting again at your 'ghosts', are we?" she said, smiling teasingly. Her sister did not return the smile._

_"What did that fat man want, Sister?" she asked._

_"The same thing as usual, Romani," she sighed as she pushed a few bangs out of her eyes. "And tell me, weren't you supposed to look after the cows?"_

_"But, if Romani practices this, she's helping to look after the cows for when the aliens arrive," Romani said. Cremia sighed. There were two things that she could not control her sister with: Romani's constant reference in third person and the thoughts that aliens were actually going to come and steal away the cows. But that archery would be useful; those no good Gorman brothers were up to something..._

_Suddenly, a large crash had the both of them turn around in alarm. It came from the exit of the ranch. The two sisters rushed to the exit; they saw an extremely large boulder blocking the entrance to their ranch._

_"What!" Cremia nearly screamed her lungs out; she couldn't believe those two Gorman brothers; what was their problem? First they ask for the ranch, and because they were refused, they had to block the entrance to the ranch? What were they trying to attempt this time?_

_

* * *

Ikana Outskirts_

_"Skull Kid, where are we going next?" Tael asked. "You promised you would teach me the magic you did..."_

_Skullkid growled; he was getting a migraine from listening to the fairy's incessant whining. At least his sister was't being so immature. She just followed suit, in silence. Friendship came at a high price._

_"We're going to the Ikana Canyon; I heard that the final giant resides there..." the Skullkid said. "After that, I swear that there will be nothing more to do, so hang on tight. Got it?" The purple fairy just nodded and flew along silently, like his sister._

_The group traversed in silence, over the terrain and the heads of the various natural creatures of Termina. Eventually, they reached a little town. Not many people lived there; Skullkid just ignored it and travelled on. However, he stopped, and saw a towering and imposing castle loom above him. Intrigued, he went inside. The other two followed suit._

_

* * *

Ikana Castle_

_The hallways were long and twisting, and the only light was the light drifting in from the sun; otherwise it was all dark. The sound of water dripping only added to the mysterious aura surrounding the castle. Scared as they might be, the Tatl and Tael still followed Skull Kid, who was floating down the halls unfazed. He seemed like a local resident; his appearance would give one that impression._

_Eventually, the Skullkid reached a cavernous room. It was darker than most of the other rooms; the windows were covered by large drapes. The Skullkid sensed something; something that was cursed and undead..._

_Suddenly, the Skullkid uttered something and in an instant, a skeleton in armor was thrown across the room and it hit the wall hard. Tael, surprised, screamed. Normally, it wouldn't be audible, save if someone was near, but the structure of the room allowed the sound waves to constantly bounce and amplify, building it up to a high pitched scream. Tatl covered her ears; sometimes her brother was so immature..._

_"Who... who are you?" the skeleton asked. He struggled against the constant magic stream coming from the Skullkid, but found it useless._

_"No... that's not the question here," the Skullkid grinned. He waved his hand; two other skeletons were thrown against the wall next to the first one. "The question is, who are you?"_

_"You're not getting any answers from me..." the Skeleton said. He still tried to struggle against the Skullkid's magic, but in vain. The Skullkid just tittered mockingly and laughed at the escape efforts._

_"Nice attitude, but you're in no position for that," he said. "Last I checked, you're the one against the wall."_

_"Alright... I'm the ancient King of Ikana..." the skeleton spoke. He gave up on struggling and went limp. The other two skeletons just stared fearfully at each other. "My minions and I had been cursed for nearly a millenium now; we're nearing the end of our curse. Until that fateful day, we are to never rest in peace and take the guise of Stalfos. Please take pity upon us and break the curse, so that we may rest in peace."_

_"Is attacking someone an ask for help?" the Skullkid asked. "That seems more like a ask for a conflict. Unfortunately for you, you picked the wrong being to fight." The Skullkid began invoking more magic. The three Stalfos found themselves surrounded in light; but nothing happened... or that's what they would've liked to assume._

_"Remember how you said that you've nearly reached the end of your curse?" the Skullkid grinned evilly. "Well, you just earned yourself an eternity being stuck like that. In addition, the land around it will become dead itself, just like you." The three Stalfos, hearing this, wailed in despair and agony, and the Skullkid laughed and disappeared with the fairies._

_

* * *

Ikana Canyon_

_"Daddy, what happened to the water?" a little girl asked. She watched the water dry up with wide eyes. Her father just stared at the water in wonder and panic. No water would mean he would have to travel at the way to Clock Town for supplies, and that would a day... and there was no way he was risking leaving his daughter behind. He looked at the ancient Ikana Castle darkly. He had heard screams from there a few minutes ago.. Was there something going on in there?_

_Suddenly, a low moaning sound alerted him. He turned around and froze. A Gibdo... in Ikana? Acting upon impulse, rather than on thought, he opened the door and ushered his bewildered daughter. As he was about to go in, he saw something appear behind him and cackle wildly._

_"Perfect..." the figure said. The two fairies around him just bobbed around nervously. Let this be a lesson to those who oppose me... I shall not be forgiving!"_

_"Uh... Skullkid?" the lighter fairy asked. "Why did you prolong their suffering like that?"_

_"I really had no intention to do so," the Skullkid said matter of factly. "But because the final giant is the deity of Ikana, let him come forth and try to resolve the issue here! He'll definetely come once he finds out that his beloved land has become a land of the dead... not that there's any real change."_

_The man, listening to all this, grew angered. How could a being be so reckless and endanger the lives of a region's inhabitants! He picked up a large rock and chucked it at the Skullkid, hitting him directly in the back of the head. It hit the Skullkid directly, but it did not exactly have the desired effect. Instead, the Skullkid turned and glared at the surprised man, with a glare that would've pierced even the toughest of Iron Knuckle armor._

_"What have we here?" he sneered. The man stepped back, reaching for the doorknob, but he never felt it._

_"You really don't fit in with the landscape…" the Skullkid said with a bemused grin. He snapped his fingers; the man felt an odd sensation; he felt his legs and arms constricting; and his torso was in intense pain. The pain went on for several minutes, until it all stopped. _

_The Skullkid laughed; the man didn't know what happened. What did he do to me? He wondered. Then he stared at his hands. One of them were normal, but the other horrified him. The arm was swathed in bandages, and the part that wasn't swathed was rotting, giving off a putrid stench._

_"You're just like the land… dead and yet still dying," the Skullkid murmured. He ignored the man's high pitched scream of disbelief, but stopped all of a sudden._

_"Skullkid? What's the matter?" Tatl asked. She sensed the Skullkid grow excited… but that could only mean one thing…_

_A low roar confirmed her fears. As she turned around, she saw the final of the giants. And like the third giant, he rushed to attack the Skullkid. Only this time, the Skullkid was prepared, shooting rays of dark energy from his mask. Several of the beams caught the giant in the chest, sending it flying into a cliff. Several boulders fell; thankfully, there was no one around to get hurt._

_The giant tried to get up from the rubble, but it was pinned down , by the magic the Skullkid was emanating. He approached his hapless victim and hovered above it, grinning victoriously._

_"The final of my former friends…." he grinned. "How does it feel, to be the one who's going to be trapped in a vortex of loneliness and despair now? Too bad… cause it's too late to reverse the pain you caused me!" He let a pained yell, and there was a loud flash of light. The giant began splitting in two and eventually, when all calm returned, the giant had been replaced by two large worms, each trying to burrow frantically into the ground, before disappearing with another flash of light._

_The Skullkid floated gently to the ground and sighed. His work was done. Now he could relax and continue with his life._

_"It's over…" he said. Tael was flittering around excitedly now; Tatl somehow had a doubting feeling gnawing at her. But some of that feeling dissipated when she saw that he had somehow formed a smile on his face… _

_"…Daddy?" a little girl opened the door. She peered out and what she saw was horrifying, but not enough to make her flee. Instead, she felt curious. And nauseous; the smell overwhelmed her; the stench of decaying flesh made her want to vomit. Yet, for the love of her father, she went to him._

_"Stay… away… from me!" the man screamed, scared for his daughter. That demon had somehow turned him into a gibdo… how could he live with his daughter when he posed a threat?_

_Yet, his daughter went over to him and hugged him tightly. She knew that her real father was on the inside, not the half-Gibdo exterior. He could tears slide down his mutilated face and onto her head. Something good will happen… it was almost certain…_

* * *

A/N: Something happened to my font, so I apologize if the font is screwed up. Back to the story. Well, that pretty much sets up most of the story! Four giants imprisoned, different peoples in trouble, now all ya have to do is twiddle your thumbs and wait for the hero to arrive.

Next Chapter: Link stops fora little practice with swordplay. Darmani fights the battle of his life. Mikau learns of ancestory. Skullkid... is now living up to the part of him being a kid... the OOCness only goes so far. And I'm... off to sleep. Until next update, later!


	8. Chapter 7, Part 1: Fight On!

Me again. Yep. This chapter's just a filler; but the beginning does pertain to the main story. part 2 will deal more with the story. and this does have lots of fighting. enjoy, and don't forget to R&R.

-alex_

* * *

_

Snowhead Temple

_The roar of the blizzard echoed in both combatants ears and kept biting at their limbs, but neither conceded an inch. They were both exhausted to the point where they could barely stand, but the determination in both kept them alive despite the cruel conditions._

"_Goro… Goro… what is this thing?" Darmani wondered as he stared at his foe: a giant mechanical bull more than twice his size. Despite all of Darmani's knowledge about combat and his wisdom, he could not seem to find a weakness in the bull. The bull had just parried off every attack thrown at him._

_The bull had not inflicted any damage to Darmani at all. While it was true that Darmani was smaller, he was able to use his knowledge and brute strength to keep the mechanical beast at bay. The only way one of the combatants would win was if the other made a mistake, or the toll the climate took upon their health._

_Darmani decided to move first. Charging energy up in his fist, he charged at his giant opponent. The bull anticipated this, and lowered its head in defense. It was getting ready to charge, hoping to impale the muscular Goron._

_But Darmani had other plans. Just as soon as both were within striking range of the other, Darmani broke off the punch and grabbed the horns. Surprised, the bull stopped in its tracks. Darmani took the opportunity to slam the bull's head in the snow. Perhaps it would've done more damage had the snow not been there. None the less, the bull was down, and it appeared that Darmani was the victor._

_Just as he was moving down the mountain, Darmani stopped when he heard a snort. Whirling around, he was surprised to see the bull rising from the snow. _

"_Damn… doesn't this thing just give up!" he growled, as he moved in to finish the bull off with a Goron punch. This time, the bull was ready. It waited patiently until Darmani came closer, then whirled around. It kicked the Goron squarely in the chin, sending the Goron flying and nearly over the edge. Then, it took the opportunity to charge and pick Darmani up in its horns. It then tossed the helpless Goron over the edge of the cliff and into a dark cliff below. Only one thought repeated through Darmani's mind as he descended into the darkness below…_

_I'm sorry, Elder… I've failed you all… Darmani thought. He let out no yell as the darkness swallowed him whole._

_

* * *

Somewhere outside Hyrule_

_Link was poring through a map, trying to find his way. He put the scroll down confusedly, as Epona was drinking some water from a nearby creek. He then checked his compass, only to get even more confused. _

_Damn… I should've asked for directions, Link thought. What's the use of using a map when you don't know where you're supposed to go?_

"_I wish you could read maps," Link said wistfully to Epona. The brown pony just looked up and stared at Link, "but no, you have to be a horse…"_

_Epona gave a stare that seemed to have said, "Look… if you want to become the beast of burden., I'm all up for it, fairy boy. Let's see how you like it having someone ride you." She then resumed her drinking._

_Link turned his head and looked into the horizon. His eyes scanned the area, and he saw the outline of a building in the distance. He sat up, smacking his head with his hand._

"_Why didn't I see that?" he said aloud. "I could ask for directions there!" Getting up, he whistled, calling Epona to him. The pony trotted innocently towards him. Full of renewed energy, he got onto the pony and dug his heels into her, sending her off into the direction of the building. Epona just neighed in response._

_(Translation of the neigh: do that one more time, and I will have your riding days confined to a wheelchair)._

_

* * *

1 hour later (building Link saw)_

"_Keep it up, Gonzo!" several men were yelled. They were standing around a ring, watching two men practice their swordplay. The man named Gonzo was brandishing a large blade, parrying his opponents moves gracefully, while searching for an open spot._

_His opponent attempted stabbing, but Gonzo sidestepped out of the way, sending a cross at the man's head, but his opponent raised his shield in time, just sending him recoiling._

"_What're you stalling for, Gonzo?" a man yelled. "Finish Pete off!" _

_The man named Pete recovered, then lunged again, this time trying a diagonal cross downwards. Gonzo just jumped back lightly, despite the heavy armor, then ran forward, and slashed. Pete barely got back in time, but the tip of the blade struck his chest. A long thin red cut formed and bleed was spilling out lightly._

"_Well, I guess that's that," Gonzo said, taking his helmet off. "I'm winner… again." He looked down at Pete, who was grimacing in pain. "You ok?" he asked. Pete just nodded, still gripping his chest. _

"_Nice move, Gonzo!" the men yelled. They applauded his performance, while Gonzo just ignored them. All eyes turned to the main gate when there was a loud knock against it._

"_Is anyone there?" a light yell came over from the other side._

"_Who is it?" the captain asked from the stables. He looked irritated. Maybe because his men were relaxing and having fun while he was still working._

"_It's a rider, sir," the sentry called out from the tower. "Shall I let him in?"_

"_What's he look like?"_

"_He's clad in green… I don't see a sword but I do see a shield."_

"_Very well… let him in."_

_The gates creaked openly slowly as the men all stared at it, wondering who their unexpected guest might be. They all got quite a shock when the gates fully opened to reveal a young boy on a pony. _

"…_Did you get separated from your parents, little boy?" a man called out. Link just stared quizzically at the men._

"_Parents? No… I came here on my own," Link said._

"_You've got to be kidding me," Gonzo said under his breath. "There's no way… Kakariko Village's over 20 miles away…"_

"_But why'd you come here?" another man asked. Link was still giving the men a confused stare. _

"_I got lost."_

"_Figures… a little boy like you."_

"_Little boy!" Link was indignant. "I'm 11 years old!"_

"_That fits the description of a little boy," Gonzo said aloud. Link glared at the armored swordsman._

"_Does a little boy carry this?" Link produced his Kokiri sword and his Hylian Shield. The weapons glittered in the sunlight, right in the men's amazed faces._

"_So… you're a swordsman, also? You're quite young for that…" the captain observed. He was also quite amused. "How about you take on one of my knights?"_

_Link stared at the group of knights quite nervously. They all looked well built and the edges on the blades looked quite unwelcoming. They were also leering at him._

_Link decided that it wouldn't hurt to lose; these men had no idea of his reputation. There was nothing to lose. He nodded his head in agreement, although he did not take his eyes off the blades._

"_Splendid!" the captain said. "You'll face Damon, a new recruit. By the way… do you know who we are?"_

_Link shook his head no. The captain just chuckled and shook his head._

"_Figures. You're only a kid, after all. We are the Hyrulean Elite Corps! We are the best soldiers in the land, and only those chosen by Hyrulean Royalty can come and train here."_

_Link gulped. The Elite Corps… These were supposed to be the best of the best in all of Hyrule… they were not a part of the Hyrulean Army, but had almost 5 times the skills. He shouldn't have accepted their offer._

_Soon, Link found himself in a ring facing an armored person. The knight, named Damon, stood almost 2.5 times taller than Link and was brandishing and double-handed sword. Only he was waving it around gracefully with one hand; the other held a shield. Link stared; his Kokiri Sword 's blade was only 1.4 feet long…_

_A gong sounded and the match was under way. Link was nearly caught off guard; Damon moved quite quickly despite the armor and weapons. He ducked as a horizontal cut swept where his head was a second earlier. Damon growled and swept it downwards as Link rolled out of the way._

_The crowd was jeering. Link wasn't sure whether they jeered at him, for not fighting, or his opponent for not being able to defeat a young opponent in a matter of seconds._

_Link quickly scrambled to safety and drew his weapons. He just raised his shield in time as Damon rained a flurry of blows upon him. Damon was unrelenting, and soon, Link felt his arm growing numb. Out of options, Link dropped his shield and ran, surprising his adversary. _

_Link was at a disadvantage. His shield laid discarded yards away from him; his right arm was numb and his opponent seemed to have greater physical capabilities. He had to find some kind of disadvantage. This would so much easier if Navi were here… Link thought. Then, an inspiration struck him. All he would require was a little magic and courage in his abilities. He began summoning his magic as he lined his sword up behind him…_

_Damon looked confused as he recovered. His opponent was now defenseless, yet he was just standing in that little corner. That glare somehow unnerved a little; he shook it off as he charged._

_With a yell, Damon charged. As he came 3 feet within Link, Link suddenly rolled underneath Damon and unleashed a charged spinning strike. To the observers, it looked like Link flew in between Damon's legs, becoming a deadly fan of steel._

_Link panted as he faced away from Damon, who just looked at his legs and collapsed, silencing the entire crowd. He grinned and stood up, going to over to pick his shield up. He then walked over to Damon, who was lying on the ground groaning and holding his leg. There was a shallow cut; yet it was bleeding profusely._

"_Are you ok?" Link asked. Damon just nodded and grimaced. "Sorry…"_

"_Nah… it's ok," Damon said, grunting. He looked up and forced a smile. "You're pretty good."_

"_That was impressive, Link!" the captain boomed out. Link turned and looked at the captain clapping. The captain signaled two men and they came and fetched Damon into the main building. "Are you up to another match?"_

_Link was about to say no, he thought about it. Another match wouldn't hurt, and it would train him further._

"_Alright, I'll do it!" Link said, grinning confidently. Gonzo just snorted in the background._

_A lot of matches later…_

_Link was panting deeply as he stood over his latest opponent, who had been knocked out by his shield. The captain stood amazed, as his men were nearly depleted by this strange, young newcomer. Only Gonzo remained, still standing in his corner. Only this time, he did not have a scornful look; he was amazed also. He picked up his sword and shield._

"_I'll be your next partner!" Gonzo barked out. A hush fell over all the remaining men. Gonzo was their best knight; and Link was certainly tired after all those matches… would Link be able to win?_

_Link grinned once more; he nodded, agreeing. Gonzo returned the grin and jumped over the fence without any relative difficulty. Out of all the men, Gonzo looked the most built. Link knew this fight was not going to be easy. Yet, he faced Gonzo with determination._

_The gong sounded. Gonzo took the queue and rushed Link who nimbly sidestepped out of the way. Enraged, Gonzo turned and held his sword, point down into the ground and rushed Link. Sparks flew as the tip of the blade cut the ground, leaving deep grooves. Link back flipped as Gonzo threw a devastating uppercut, only to hit air. But he did not stop there; he charged forward, slicing downwards as Link back flipped once more. The onslaught continued, as Gonzo swiped horizontally, followed by a downward cut, along with another horizontal cut and finally a stab._

_Link countered by ducking, then back flipping once more, then sidestepping. The final blow, a stab would've caught Link off guard, but Link did something totally unexpected; using all his strength, he leaped into the air and landed on balance on the edge of the blade._

_All time stood still, as everyone stared at this latest move. Link just smiled at a baffled Gonzo as he flipped over Gonzo's head and promptly took his blade out and swiped at Gonzo's unprotected back._

_Gonzo felt pain shoot across his back as the tiny blade cut into his armor and slid across his flesh. He collapsed, like the rest, holding his back. Link just wiped his brow and placed his sword back into its sheath. Silence reigned as the spectators just stared at the turn of events. They had just witnessed their best soldiers fall victim to a stranger; a stranger who just a kid, at that. What the hell just went on?_

_The captain spoke, breaking the silence._

"…_What are you?" he asked in an awed voice. Link just turned and dusted his hands._

"_I'm just a normal Hylian, like you are, Capt'n," Link said proudly. The captain scoffed in disbelief._

"_You fight like the one out of the legends…" the captain said. "could you possibly be…?"_

"_Nah…" Link said, denying any notion. "I'm just a pretty lucky kid."_

"_Lucky, my ass," the captain snorted. "Boy, we could use a guy like you to teach these slackers here a few things." The men just mumbled at the last comment. "How would you like to stay for a while? Your horse does look like it could use a little rest. We'll also improve on your sword and shield." _

"_Alright. I could use a little rest," Link said, yawning. The sun was now setting in the horizon. All the fighting made him weary and hungry._

_Navi, you wouldn't mind, would you? Link thought looking at the sky.

* * *

_

Update: next chapter: Mikau learns about his heritage. And remember Kafei and Anju? They're back... this time with a new dilemna. until next time, be good!


	9. Chapter 7, Part 2: Heroes and Thieves

back, dudes (and dudettes). i've been busy with some other stuff, so i apologize for my absence. here's chapter 7, part b. we're approaching the actual game beginning of majora's mask, so i hope you enjoyed these several backgrounds. don't forget to r and r. i'm kinda surprised at the fact i still haven't gotten more reviews. oh well._

* * *

_

Romani Ranch

_The piercing cry of a Cucco could be heard, as the sun lifted itself gently into the sky. A new day had come once more, for the people and animals at Romani Ranch to resume their lives once more. Yet, amidst all the animal noises, one could find a subtle calm state of mind in here._

"_Romani! Did you pack everything in the cart?" a beautiful young lady emerged from the barn, carrying bottles of milk, which was the prize product of the ranch. Nothing could compete against the creaminess and texture of the milk, which was envied and enjoyed by all. The lady had flaming crimson hair; and she had an elegant and defined stride, despite the load she was carrying._

"_Yeah, Sis!" a younger girl popped out from the cart. She was very much the mirror image of her sister; with flaming red hair, and a cheerful face. One would say by looking at the two that they were both images from past and future._

"_Good. Now watch the things while I go cook some breakfast, ok? We'll leave for town an hour after breakfast. Bring your bow and arrows also. I don't really trust those Gorman brothers…" Cremia turned and walked back into the house, after giving Romani the bottles. Romani whistled a tune as she loaded the milk bottles onto the cart._

_Completed with her task, Romani picked up her bow and quiver, which were lying on the floor next to her. Plucking an arrow gracefully from the quiver, she fitted it onto the bow with amazing speed and drew back. Her target was a bright orange balloon 50 feet away. Concentrating hard, Romani aimed and let the arrow loose. The arrow flew in a straight arc, shot right through the orange balloon in one blur, popping the floating target in an eye's blink._

_The arrow, however, continued to travel. It nearly hit the forehead of a man coming out of the Cucco shack. Fortunately, he saw the arrow in time, and ducked down just in time. As a result, only a few of his hairs were clipped off. Shocked, he stared the young girl who just goggled at him._

"_Watch where you're firing!" he yelled. Romani just blushed and grinned sheepishly._

"_Sorry, Mr. Grog!" she yelled. "By the way, how are the chicks doing?"_

"_Fine, just fine!" Grog grumbled and went towards the ranch exit, mumbling something about girls with weapons. Making sure no one else was within the range of the arrows, Romani kept firing her arrows at various different boards set up to imitate targets. The arrows sung a chorus as they were fired one by one. To Romani's disappointment, the arrows sprayed around the targets, never hitting them directly. Romani sighed. The carnival was less than a few days away, and at this rate, she was never going to fend off the aliens…_

_

* * *

Clock Tower_

"_I can't believe this…" Kafei muttered as he looked at his contemptible state in a translucent puddle of water. His babyish features were clear and distinct as his countenance shifted from disbelief to anger. "I swear, when I find that mannequin… I'll" he made an angry gesture, but felt something brush up against his sleeve._

_Surprised, Kafei extracted a shimmering golden mask that reflected the sun's golden smile. It was the Sun Mask, the mask that he had promised to give Anju on the day of their wedding. It was all Kafei could hold onto besides his memories. Now his chances of marrying Anju were dashed, along with any chance of happiness. He sighed as he looked into the horizon, down upon the town._

_He was still sitting upon the edge when a lanky, disheveled man came up. He was wearing a leering grin, but he hid it immediately when Kafei turned. Kafei almost fell off in surprise; he hadn't been expected anyone coming up where he was._

"_I haven't seen you around before," the man said. "Are you new here?"_

"_Who… who are you?" Kafei asked. He was suspicious; the man had a sly look upon him. Kafei didn't trust it one bit. Yet there was no way to escape, save down, but it was a good twenty feet downwards. The only sensible way out would be to parlay in a conversation with him and hope that the man's intentions were good._

"_Me? Oh, my name's Sakon. I repair things," the man said, bowing courteously. Kafei still didn't lower his guard; he gripped his mask even more tightly. "I just happened to see you up here. Where are your parents?"_

"_My parents?" Kafei asked. He bit his lip. He obviously didn't want his mother and father to see him in this state. It was raise a commotion in the town and rumors would fly everywhere. Everyone had suspected Anju's grandmother of being a witch. Kafei didn't want anything else to happen. "They're… they're out of town for the moment."_

"_Are those your father's clothes?" Sakon asked. His eyes darted around, looking everywhere on Kafei. His eyes rested for a slight moment of Kafei's golden mask, but he quickly looked back upon the unfortunate man's face. "Don't you have your own set of clothes?"_

"_I… I do," Kafei said. "It's… it's just that I fell into the pool, and my father happened to have a spare pair of clothing." He didn't sound too convincing, but Sakon didn't seem to doubt it. Instead, Sakon smiled widely, almost like the smile upon the mask. Kafei shivered; it felt unnatural._

"_Is that your mask?" Sakon finally asked. "It's a pretty thing. Your parents got it for you?" Kafei slowly nodded, feeling worse and worse that he had to resort to lying to escape, but it was a dog eat dog world. You had to lie and cheat to survive. "You're lucky. My parents never got me anything when I was your age." He ruffled Kafei's hair and turned to leave. "Get home, kid. It's gonna be dark soon."_

_Sakon began walking away. Kafei looked at his mask. Oddly enough, there was a slight dent on it. He looked up, and fortunately enough, Sakon was still there, walking at a slow and leisurely rate. Kafei ran up to him and tapped Sakon on the shoulder. _

_Sakon smiled and turned. He faced the young man with his hands on his hips. "You need something, kid? I have a shop to attend to."_

"_Yeah… it's this mask," Kafei said. He held up his mask and gave it to Sakon, who looked at it carefully. Kafei did not notice the way Sakon's eyes were dancing with delight. "You said you repaired thigs… maybe you can fix this dent?"_

"_Hm… tell you what kid," Sakon said, still holding the mask, while scratching his beard. "I'll just… take it for free!" With that, he pushed Kafei back and dashed off. _

_Kafei was stunned for a slight second, at the turn of events, but regained his senses and chased after Sakon. No man was going to take his wedding gift to Anju and get away with it._

_

* * *

Sakon weaved his way in and out of the crowd. Being a thief, it gave him an advantage that he knew how to slip in between crowds in tight marketplaces. He kept running and running, knocking over a confused Deku scrub, sending packages flying everywhere._

"_Hey! Watch where you're going, jerk!" the Deku Scrub yelled, waving his stubby fist. "Damn humans…" He began picking his luggage up. "The real estate here sucks…"_

_Kafei looked about desperately while running through the crowd. The state of his clothing made it hard to run around, and his height impaired his ability to spot the man from the busy afternoon crowd. He kept running without looking ahead. He kept running, with ragged breaths, pushing aside people violently._

_CRASH. Kafei tripped over something hard. Kafei felt the sharp jolt of pain travel up his arm and throughout his body. Caked in filth and mud, he got up slowly, holding his arm. He looked at what he had tripped over. It happened to be a Deku Scrub who was picking his luggage up._

"_Watch it!" the Deku Scrub yelled. "Jeez… even the damn kids. What is wrong with humans today?" Kafei still held his arm and looked around. There was no way he could catch up with the thief now. Kafei sank down to his knees and began crying silently. All the events that transpired lately… had the gods forsaken him? What did he do to deserve this kind of reward? Angrily, he pounded the earth, but recoiled at the pain. He stared at his fist, all caked and scratched and bleeding. _

"_Why… why!" he yelled, causing people to stare at him strangely. "WHY!" Sobbing, he lead himself away from the scene, with people continuing to stare. Kafei didn't care; his world was broken and happiness fluttered away. He led himself into one of the remote alleys, the one that connected to the antique store. _

_There so happened to be a ditch filled with rainwater. It was deep enough and the calm serenity of the deep blue water calmed Kafei somewhat and toughened his resolve. He looked around and found a large, heavy boulder. He took off a long piece of clothing and tied it around the rock tightly. Strangely enough, he was humming a light hearted tune while he was doing the work, although the tears still came._

_When the work was done, he rolled the rock to the edge of the water. There, he tied his clothing to both his legs. He looked up and sighed._

"_I wish there really was some other way…" he whispered. "But… it looks like this is the end for me. Goodbye world… Anju, find someone else to love you. I'm not worth you now." He pushed the rock into the water, causing the makeshift rope to put taut and drag him into the water. The rush of air entered his ears, but he never felt the water engulf him completely as the edge of the street hit the back of his head and rendered him unconscious. The expression on Kafei's face was a mixture of anger, sadness, pain and surprise, but it soon became calm a few seconds after he sank into the depths of the water. Death would be his bride now._

_

* * *

Zora Hall_

"_Well, it looks like the rest of the Zoras are taking it pretty well," Mikau observed. His partners were looking on with the legendary guitarist as the Zoras were finishing the reparations of Zora Hall. Zora technology was amazing. They were slightly above the technological skills possessed by the Ikana or Clock Town residents. Within a few days of that attack, most of Zora Hall looked like it hadn't been touched by foreign pirates or a psychic marionette._

_Mikau wondered who the puppet like figure was. He didn't look like a native resident of Termina, but he wielded a mask that had originated out of Terminan legends and already knew how to manipulate the mask's dark powers. Or maybe the mask knew how to manipulate him…_

"_Mikau?" Mikau turned around in surprise. It was Toto and Japas. They looked grim and concerned. They motioned Mikau to follow them._

_Mikau wondered what could be happening as he walked down the dimly lit hallways. There was still some debris lying about, and some bloodstains upon the walls. Mikau shivered; he didn't want to remember the attack that had nearly robbed them of their lives._

_The three of them went into a secluded room. Japas and Toto took a seat, while Mikau just stood. The two of them look uncomfortable, but it was Japas who finally opened his mouth._

"_Mikau… you know who you are, right?" he asked._

"_Yeah… I'm Mikau… the guitarist of the Indigo-Gos," he said, looking at the two of them strangely. "Are you two all right?"_

"_Just take a look at this," Toto said, handing a scroll over to Mikau. "We found this in the debris. The Gerudo's must've dropped it during their attack" Mikau took it gently and opened it up. The writing was scrawled, but Mikau could make it out, somewhat._

_Today's events weren't that worth mentioning. We only found two Zoras camping out near shore. They looked like they had some riches on them. The male Zora tried to give his bitch some time to escape. She probably had a pearl. We killed him of course. Sliced him up and left him for the gulls. That bitch didn't get far. But she dropped what she was holding. Some say it was an egg. That's what I think also. Whatever. That egg's as good as fish food._

_Mikau dimly recalled his past. He was taken in by the Zoras at Zora Hall. They only said that his parents had probably died because of bad weather and turbulent currents, but a new light was shed. Mikau trembled as he finished reading. He crushed the flimsy scroll in his hand and had a cold, hard look in his dark eyes._

"_I also heard that around that time, a legendary Zora hero was going to come and move into our Hall," Toto said. "He never came."_

_Mikau blinked. "Wait… what does that mean then…"_

"_You're most likely the son of the Zora hero," Japas said. "It can't all be coincidence."_

"_I can't be the Zora hero…" Mikau said. "There's… there's no way."_

"_There's only one way to find out," Tot said. "According to legend, there's only one way to determine whether a Zora is infused with the blood of the heroes. They are able to use a technique called the Blue Electric Shield."_

"_The what?" Mikau asked. He was lost, angry and impatient. He still couldn't accept the fact that he was the hero. "Ok, now you guys are pulling my fin…"_

"_Try it for yourself," Japas said. "Will yourself. Do it for Lulu."_

_Mikau sighed. What did he have to lose? He closed his eyes and concentrated all his hate and anger for the Gerudo pirates and his compassion for Lulu and her eggs. The thoughts swirled around his head at a blinding speed. Mikau didn't feel anything after a while. He sighed and opened his eyes. He thought he saw a blue fading away with little sparks running across desperately to find a current to live in._

_Mikau looked at Japas and Toto. Their expressions were one of awe, fear, respect and disbelief. _

"_You… you are the son of the hero…" Toto whispered. "Incredible…"

* * *

i rushed through this. i was also out of ideas, but they'll come back. i'm following a straightforward game, so how hard can it be?_

here's a preview of the next chapter, since i was gone for a while:

Link gets his new weapons and sets off to Termina

Remember Darmani and Mikau? Yeah. Tis time they get ready to leave the stage.

Yes. There will be some moderate violence and moderate cursing.


End file.
